


This Road Has Been Putting Miles On My Heart

by rosemeetsdagger



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Smut, Harry moves away, He Eats A Lot Of Food In This Fic, Louis Tomlinson Calls Harry Styles Pet Names, Louis stays, M/M, Niall Is A Cliche, Oral Sex, Phone Sex, They fight a lot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-11
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-08-08 04:58:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 59,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7744249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosemeetsdagger/pseuds/rosemeetsdagger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis held him in a bone-crushing hug. He held on to him as if he was going to lose him forever and time was running away. He supposed it was true. </p><p>[Harry leaves to university two hours away. Louis stays and continues teaching.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from the song Sweet Annie by Zac Brown Band. Disclaimer: This is a work of complete fiction. None of this is real, nor did it happen. Inspired by a scene in The Office when Pam and Jim are on the phone in separate places and both talk about the same thing in sync. You'll know what I'm talking about when I include it in a chapter.
> 
> Just over 5K words! I had an idea and I kind of just went with it. I'm planning this to be a short story, emphasis on the short. I don't know if it's worth it to keep continuing it but if you want me to, please comment down below!

* * *

Louis chewed on his thumbnail, his clean, short fingernails tapping away at the keys. His face glowed in shades of blues from his Macbook Pro.

“What do you wanna watch babe?” He peered at the movies on the bright screen. “We could either watch Suicide Squad or Legend of Tarzan. You look like him with the long hair, innit?”

Harry hummed, squinting his eyes at his own screen. He scrolled down the page with intensity, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

“You can pick. Don’t care to be honest.”

Louis gasped, clutching one hand to his chest. “Harold. What happened to the days where we fought to pick the movie? You’ve changed.”

Harry chuckled throatily. He leaned over and looked at the movie reviews on Louis’ screen. He murmured, “Suicide Squad definitely. I heard Margot Robbie is great in it,” with his lips pressed to the crown of his head.

“Yeah, of course,” Louis said, flipping the screen around. “Now.” He pursed his lips, squinting a smile in the darkness. “Do you want to watch it at 9:30 or 10:30?”

Harry shook his head, his eyes slipping shut with his wide smile. His eyes readjusted to his own blinding screen, a new notification popping on his screen. He double clicked it and his eyes immediately scanned over the word document from Pratt Institute, only the highest achieving art institute in the state of New York.

His eyes bulged comically out of his head when he skimmed through the words, _‘Congratulations! The Pratt Institute of New York is pleased to announce that Harry Styles has been accepted for enrollment in the class of 2020!’_

The only sounds in the room was the clicking of Louis’ fingernails and his careful sipping, a cup of hot tea cradled in his hands.

“Oh my god,” he breathed shakily. He jumped up in bed, twisting his body around. “I got in!”

Louis eyed him from his place on the bed. He placed his cup on the bedside table, his eyebrows arched.

“What?” he asked.

“Lou, I got in!” Harry laughed manically then, his mouth curved into an open smile. He carded one hand through his tangled curls, flexing his bicep. He lowered his voice, shakily responding, “I applied to the Pratt Institute a few weeks ago, you know. I mean.” He swallowed, grabbing Louis’ hands in his. “I know I didn’t tell you and I am _so_ sorry for that, but after I never got a response from them I figured they didn’t accept me. It didn’t really matter if I told you or not because I didn’t get in but now…” His cheeks started to hurt from how broad his smile was. “I got in,” he whispered.

Louis’ mouth opened and closed a few times. He squeezed his hands to let him know he was okay, even though he was dying inside. He thought thoroughly on what to say, careful with his words. His mind was like a whirring cotton candy machine.

“You always did say you love the arts,” he said weakly.

“Oh, Lou!” Harry flung his arms around him, pressing his weight against him. Louis gripped him tightly, trying to hold on to him when he felt the world dizzy. “You’re the most supportive boyfriend ever,” he whispered in his ear.

Louis nodded, his throat choked with dying words. He pulled away from him, pressing a steadying hand on his chest.

“I’m so happy for you Haz. Pratt Institute that’s—That’s really amazing, Harry.”

“I know!” Harry said excitedly. He grabbed his laptop and started clicking away, his fingertips quickly pressing on the keys like a hurricane. He flipped the screen around. “Look! They even have a Pratt rec where they hold these hot yoga sessions. It’s everything I was hoping for.”

Louis nodded to Harry’s words, feeling numb. A hot rush of insecurity flooded him at the thought of Harry going to a university surrounded with hotter, younger, smarter, more hipster-y people than Louis. He knew he had passed his prime age in uni when he passed his red trousers and braces phase. Men would cry at the sight of him.

He chewed on his bottom lip nervously. “So…Pratt, huh?” he said quietly.

Harry looked at him, his two front teeth snagging on his pink lips. He nodded, smiling brightly.

“How?” Louis gulped. He tried again. “How long is it from here again?”

Harry’s lip popped out of his mouth. “Oh. Um. I don’t know, lemme check actually.”

Louis sat quietly while Harry tapped away at the keys, his face glowing from the blue of the screen. He turned around, his smile not quite reaching his eyes anymore.

“It’s a two hour drive.”

“Right.” Louis breathed shallowly. He visibly shook himself out of it. “That doesn’t mean anything, right?”

“Right,” Harry affirmed, unsure. He looked small.

“It took me a whole two months to ask you out. What’s a couple of weeks going to do to us? We’re strong. We have a stable relationship.”

At this point, Louis didn’t know if he was trying to convince Harry or himself.

“Actually,” Harry said lowly. “It’s not for a couple of months. That’s if I applied to the certification program. I applied for a degree. A full four years.”

“Oh.” Louis’ smile slipped off all too quickly. He inhaled a deep breath, feeling light-headed. “That’s…That’s fine.”

Harry nodded, his curious big, green eyes shimmering. Louis felt his hands tremble when he went to cup his cheeks, staring into his eyes.

“No, we’ll be fine,” he reaffirmed, secure. He moved his hands to grip his shoulders tightly. “Pratt is only two hours away, I’ll come visit you. We’ll be fine.”

“We’ll be fine,” Harry repeated.

Louis held him in a bone-crushing hug. He held on to him as if he was going to lose him forever and time was running away. He supposes it was true. Harry was leaving to university two hours away. Louis was going to stay and continue teaching.

Louis cradled the nape of his neck, burying his face in the juncture between his neck and shoulder. Tears sprung at the corners of his eyes. He couldn’t help it. Nights where they used to drink tea together and watch their favorite Netflix shows were now going to be gone. They were going to be replaced by hurried texts and grainy FaceTime calls. And Louis absolutely knew it was going to be harder than that. When school season would begin, Louis would be bombarded with checking marks and evaluating essays. He was sure Harry would be busy with textbook work or nights out hanging with new friends.

He pulled away, resting his forehead against his. Harry smiled small, thumbing when a tear rolled down his flushed cheek. Harry kissed him, soft and careful, feeling like a promise. Louis parted his lips and allowed his tongue to dive in. He relished in his taste, knowing there were gonna be a few of those before a ghost touched his lips.

Harry pulled away with a wet pop. He laughed wetly, squinting his eyes and dropping his head low. A choked sob escaped out of his mouth, Harry clamping his hand over it to silence the sound.

“Oh, Haz,” Louis murmured. He pulled him close to his body and tucked him to his chest.

Where the room was filled with Louis’ sips of tea were now filled with Harry’s quiet sobbing.

Louis felt his heart ache for him. He knew it was tougher on Harry since he was the one that was doing the leaving. He had a choice to either stay or leave. But he chose the latter. Louis pulled him apart to look into his wet eyes, his hands firm on the tops of his shoulders.

“Look at me Haz.”

Harry sniffled, wiping his hand under his snotty nose. He looked up timidly from underneath dark rows of eyelashes, clumped together by fat blobs of tears. He resembled an eight year old, back when Louis first met him and he was only sixteen and shy and overly insecure.

“We’re going to be absolutely fine. You know why?”

Harry shook his head. He bit into his lower lip, his cheeks flushed a pretty pink.

“Because I remember the first time we hung out. Do you remember that day?” Harry nodded, smiling a little. Louis gained confidence, continuing. “We laid on the floor of my caravan and I told you I liked you. So much. I remember feeling like I had the earth in my hands when I first kissed you. I had everything. I knew I didn’t want anybody else since the moment I met you. And it’s still true. This is just a bump on the road, okay? We’ve been through everything together, we can get passed this too.”

Harry smiled, closing his fist and rubbing it over one eye. Even with snot running down his nose and flushed cheeks, he still looked as beautiful as ever since the day Louis first saw him. Louis thumbed his cheek and leaned in, kissing the corner of his mouth. He pressed his forehead to his, breathing him in.

“It _is_ only a two hour drive. You can come visit me on weekends and I’ll come visit you whenever I have time off. Maybe some days we can meet in the middle,” Harry said.

“Yeah.” Louis wiped his hand across fresh new tears. “Yeah baby boy.”

They hugged each other again, making it seem as if they had lost time. Louis’ arms wrapped around Harry’s broad shoulders, maybe hugging him too tightly. He wanted to hold him tonight and always.

“Um, Lou?” Harry said, voice strained. “You’re hugging me too tight. I can’t breathe.”

He faked gasped, sputtering out choked coughs. Louis laughed, swatting him on the shoulder. “Now,” he sighed. “How about that movie?”

Harry smiled brightly. Louis gathered his phone and wallet, turning off his and Harry’s laptops. The last words he saw was _Pratt Institute_ before he lowered the top shut. Louis tilted his head to the left, gnawing on his bottom lip. He grabbed his keys and followed Harry out the door, clicking it closed.

The ride to the theatre was silent, save for the radio humming quietly. Louis’ hand gripped the gear shift, running his thumb on Harry’s skin where it laid on top of his. He felt the burning heat of Harry’s gaze flitting to his profile every few minutes, worried. He could practically feel his anxious demeanor radiate off of him.

They climbed off the car and made way to the booth where a girl with nice hair was behind the closed window. Before Louis could reach it, Harry grasped his arm and held him in place.

“Hey, Lou? Can I talk to you about something?”

“Not now Harry.” Louis brushed him off, unbothered.

He walked up to the booth and politely smiled. “Two tickets for Suicide Squad at 10:30 please.” The ticket booth girl smiled and took his notes, counting them and clicking away at her computer.

“I just wanted to ask if we’re okay,” Harry said from behind his shoulder. “So…Are we okay?”

“Yes.” Louis rolled his eyes. “I told you we’re gonna be fine.”

“No, I mean right now. You seem…” he trailed off. “Mad.”

“Well I’m not.” Louis’ voice clipped.

“Hey.” Harry moved his arm, turning him around. “Hey. Can you just honestly tell me what’s on your mind?”

“Look Harry I don’t really wanna talk about it right now.”

“Why not?” he asked.

A tiny cough was heard from the front. Their eyes slid to the front where the girl held two tickets out under the window. Louis grabbed them and thanked her, a forced smile on his face.

“Why not?”

“I just need some time to cool off, okay?”

“So there _is_ something wrong.” Harry crossed his arms on his chest. He appeared like a thirteen year old whose mum didn’t want to buy him a lollipop at the store.

“I don’t wanna talk about it and certainly not here at the movie theatres in public.” Louis grabbed his hand forcefully and pulled him to the right cinema viewing. Harry pulled his hand away like he touched a hot kettle.

“Just drop it.”

“Fine.” Harry crossed his arms, pouting.

“Don’t do that,” he sighed.

“Do what? I’m not doing anything.”

Louis pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes closing for a beat. He murmured, “You’re pouting, babe,” without looking at him. Spending five years by his side enabled him to memorize Harry’s different laughs and expressions. They were practically in sync, always mirroring each other’s movements.

“Am not. And don’t call me babe.” He stomped his foot, looking more like the sixteen year old Louis had pinned over.

“Harry. Haz. Look, I’m sorry.”

People stopped to stare. Louis self-consciously brought Harry closer and lowered his voice. No matter if he was angry or upset, he always felt the need to protect him from others. Especially from hate and prying eyes.

“I’m sorry that you’re moving to New York City and I’m sorry that I’m upset, okay? I’m sorry that I can’t come to terms with my boyfriend moving two hours away!”

Harry visibly deflated at that. “You said we were gonna be fine,” he said lowly, shrinking in on himself.

“We are. We will. It’s just…It’s gonna be hard, alright?” He ran a hand through his messy hair, frustrated. He blew hot air out of his dry lips. “And we won’t be talking every day and that’s…That’s gonna suck. I can hardly be without you for a day. How am I going to survive four years?”

“Just ask me, Lou,” Harry said softly.

“Ask you what?”

“Ask me to stay. You know I will. You just have to say the words.”

“That’s ridiculous, Harry,” Louis said.

“I think I might give up everything for you just ask me to.”

“It’s not that easy, Haz. You want this, don’t you?” When Harry made no move to reply, Louis flicked his hand in the air, raising his voice in volume. “Don’t you!”

“Yes.” His voice was small. If Louis hadn’t leaned in, the wind would have carried his words away.

“Then it’s settled. My amazing boyfriend got accepted to Pratt and as a supportive boyfriend, I’m going to stay and root for him a million miles away.” He conveyed a smile and hoped it was convincing.

Harry snorted. A fond expression took over his eyes, curled his mouth. “S’not that far, Lou.”

“Whatever. Wasn’t really good at Maths anyway.” He looped his arm around his waist, whispering, “If you don’t move your long giraffe legs we’re going to miss the movie.”

Harry ducked his head, his lips quirking higher on the left. They walked wrapped up in each other to their designated cinema. Suicide Squad had begun a few minutes already and most of the seats were taken but that was okay. Louis had his boy for now, smiling and giggling.

They settled in their seats, wedged between an elderly couple and a younger couple that exhibited high public displays of affection. Louis wrapped an arm around Harry, smiling at him.

They were going to be okay. He just couldn’t believe Harry didn’t tell him.

. . .

Sunlight filtered through their large window in their spacious flat. They invited Zayn and Liam over for breakfast but the day was soon nearing lunch, so brunch it was. They walked in and said their hello’s, hugging each other and settling around the kitchen table.

Liam had finished telling a story about a newbie in the office developing a crush over oblivious Zayn.

“So there he was. The temp, right? Asking Zay out with me right next to him. Said he had a crush on him for over two months and bearly grew the balls to tell him,” Liam laughed. “And the best part is that Z was just gaping at him.”

Louis shook his head, smiling into his closed fist. Harry rounded the table and refilled everybody’s drinks with warm tea or orange juice. He sat down next to Louis, rubbing his thigh.

“That sounds like something Zayn would do. Completely clueless, eh?”

Zayn rolled his eyes, his tongue poking his cheek. “I thought he was being nice and helpful. Excuse me if I don’t jump to the conclusion that everybody loves me at a first time meeting.”

“Aw, babes.” Liam pinched his cheek. “Everybody falls in love with you.”

Harry and Louis smiled at each other. It wasn’t so long ago that Liam proclaimed his undying love for Zayn in their little flat and Zayn had nearly cried, hugging him tight and saying yes to his proposal of being boyfriends. They were still running high on the honeymoon phase. Louis thought it was sickengly cute.

“What I can’t believe is that he told you first and you didn’t warn me,” Zayn said. “Can you believe him?” He leaned forward on the table and thumbed in Liam’s direction. “Thomas asked Liam for his advice on how to ask me out and he actually humored him!”

“Well he had it coming. How did he not know we were boyfriend and boyfriend?” Liam supplied.

Louis circled the rim of his cup, smiling. “Don’t have to say boyfriend and boyfriend. Delete one boyfriend and just say boyfriends.”

“Why. Does it really matter?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“’Cause it loses sentimental storytelling material.”

“How so?”

“For successful storytelling you have to be straight-forward—”

“Boys,” Zayn interrupted. “Is this important?”

Louis and Liam stared at him. Seconds passed, both boys saying, “Yes!” in unison. They cheered and high-fived, Zayn rolling his eyes and muttering something uncomprehensive under his breath.

“So. What’s going on with you two lads?”

Louis settled back in his chair, suddenly drained. He wanted to announce he was tired and curl up in bed, maybe pull up a new episode of The Office on his Netflix account. He wanted to do everything _but_ have this conversation aloud.

Harry, on the other hand, was more than thrilled. He popped his lips, crossing his arms on the table. He looked over to Louis, his eyes earnest and bright in the dim light.

Louis felt sick.

“So, Lou? Do you wanna tell them or should I tell them?”

“Tell us what?” Zayn asked, his interest peaked again. He was like a labrador that got bored one minute and excited the next. Maybe he resembled more like a brown-eyed husky.

“Don’t care,” Louis muttered, slouching in his chair.

Harry didn’t notice his change of demeanor and carried on. He sat upright in his chair, complete opposite to Louis’ lazy posture. He clasped his hands together, smiling so broad his eyes formed into half slits.

“I got in to,” He paused, then, “the Pratt Institute of Art!”

“Weyhey!” Liam cheered, just as Zayn happily said, “That’s great, man. I knew you were so excited to hear back from them.”

“Thanks,” Harry replied. He opened his mouth when Louis interrupted abruptly.

“Wait. What?”

Liam furrowed his big, brown eyebrows. “Weyhey?” he repeated, ending the word with a question lilt.

“No.” Louis’ eyes slipped shut. He stared at Zayn, his eyes narrowing.

“Fuck.” Zayn’s mouth popped open. “You give an icy cold stare at the tip of a hat.”

“What did you say?”

“Um,” Zayn swallowed. His eyes flitted between Harry and Louis nervously. “I knew he was excited to hear back from them. Because, uh, Harry told me and confessed how nervous he was…”

Louis stopped listening. A crash of waves flooded in his ears, blocking any sounds to be heard. He recalled the beating of his heart crawling up his chest to pool out on the table, blood spreading everywhere. His mind blanked out like a static television screen.

Harry told him. Harry told Zayn. And didn’t tell him. He told Zayn, a friend, over Louis, his boyfriend of more than five years. He felt Harry’s warm hand gripping his arm and pulling him in. He saw Zayn and Liam throw him overly confused and worried glances. But he didn’t process any of that.

Instead, he stood from the long table with the tips of his fingers spread on top of the smooth surface. He regained his breath and with the most gracefulness he could master in a dramatic walk-out, turned around and walked out. He closed the bedroom door shut with a slam.

Three flushed faces sat staring at the closed door, their mouths reveling in open-mouthed shock. Harry stood up from the table. “Excuse me,” he said politely. He turned around and closed the door again, but this time with a quiet snick.

“Wow,” Liam mouthed, Zayn nodding at him.

Zayn and Liam were good friends. They never denied their requests of getting wasted at a dingy pub or collectively throwing a themed party for a special holiday. They cleaned up after themselves and sometimes cooked dinner for them. What they weren’t good at was respecting their privacy, their ears attuned to their whispers travelling from the closed bedroom door.

On the other side of the door, Louis was pacing back and forth, his fingers running through his tousled locks. Harry bit his fingernail, his hand clenching by his side.

“Tell me what I did wrong. Tell me what I did to be such a boyfriend that you neglected to tell me this but you definitely shared with him!”

“You’re frieking out over nothing.” Harry’s eyes chased him around the room.

“I’m not frieking out over nothing. You—This—I, It’s a life-changing decision is what it is, Harry. And you’re supposed to tell me these things, aren’t you?” He scratched the scalp of his head, words tumbling out of his mouth before he could decipher them. “So tell me what I did wrong, please.”

“Nothing, Lou.” Harry held his palms out, pleading. He looked desperate. “Please come back into the kitchen with us.”

“No.” Louis turned around to face him. He held the heat of a thousand suns in his eyes, cold blue ice staring back at him. “I am not going to go back there until you tell me why you didn’t tell me. Or, or,” He laughed sharply, his eyes scrutinized. “Maybe you won’t tell me that too.”

“That...” Harry took a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling. He felt the air thin out, making it hard for him to breathe. “That doesn’t make any sense. That’s a double jeopardy. Not telling you why I didn’t tell you is the same thing, actually.”

“Fuck you,” Louis growled. “Fuck you and your nonsensical way of thinking and trying to turn this thing around. You’re stalling, Styles!”

Louis only called him Styles when they were bantering too hard, but this was no banter. They were fighting.

“Hey.” Harry’s eyebrows pinched. “Last time you said you liked how my mind works.”

“Well, it’s obviously not working now.” Louis tugged the longer bits of hair at the back of his head. Harry remembered Louis telling him he did that when he was frustrated since the blooming pleasure distracted him from being heated. “Just do me a favor.”

“Louis…” Harry fell limp to his knees where he cradled his hands in his lap. “The reason I didn’t tell you was because I know how supportive you can be. I didn’t want you to be getting my hopes high if I didn’t get in.”

“Well, sorry that I have to be the perfect boyfriend.”

“I don’t mean it like that. I mean…I don’t know what I mean.” Harry rubbed a hand down his face. He looked tired. “Now I’m just making a fool out of myself.”

Louis stopped pacing and turned around to look at him. He sat down in front of him, his hands resting on his knees. He reached out to him but held back, his hand hanging stupidly in the air.

“You are.”

“Hey,” Harry drawled out.

Louis sighed. He pulled apart Harry’s legs who so easily opened up to him. He was always so responsive to his touches. He knelt in between his legs and slid his palms up his thighs, sending waves of tremor up Harry’s spine.

“Can you just tell me something, please?”

“Lou…” Harry closed his eyes.

Louis cupped his face, bringing him in closer. He thumbed under his left eye, the skin soft and sensitive. He slid his fingers on the nape of his neck to his long curls, tugging them hard. He always tugged on his hair when he was demanding. When he wanted his attention. A low moan ripped from out of Harry’s throat, his eyes darkened with lust.

“Tell me why you told him and not me.”

“Because Zayn’s into the whole art thing.” He shivered, Louis’ blunt fingernails scratching his scalp with light pressure. “He saw my artwork and he told me his honest opinion. He wasn’t being biased. He said I had a good chance of getting in.”

Louis let go of his hair. Harry followed his hand, responsive and obedient. He whined, his eyes closed and his lips puckered in an invisible pout. He was aware he was behaving like a baby, but he _was_ Louis’ baby. That would never change.

“So you told somebody that would be brutally honest instead of supportive?”

“Yes.”

Seconds of silence lingered between them that felt like minutes. Harry slowly opened his eyes, watching Louis’ hooded eyes and wet lips. He must have licked him in the second he closed his eyes.

“You’re weird,” Louis finally said.

“I know,” Harry admitted. “Um, I know I’ve asked this in the past twenty four hours but…Are we okay?”

“Yeah we are. Your mind works in the weirdest ways possible but it actually makes sense.” He tapped his temple twice, his smile lifting the corners of his mouth. Harry loved making him smile.

“Telling Zayn?”

“Yes.”

“I think it’s awful.” Harry frowned. He scratched his forehead, his knees starting to get bruised from kneeling on the ground for too long. It was different from when he would blow Louis, it was a different kind of sensation. The marks were his personal trophy as much as pride swelled up inside him when Louis would come so hard he would cry out.

“What’s that?”

“Come to think of it…I told my friend instead of my best friend slash boyfriend. That’s terrible.”

“Mmmh,” Louis hummed. “You’re right that I’m right.”

“I should have told you first.”

“Yeah, well. What’s done is done. I’m not so mad anymore.”

“No?”

Louis shrugged. He replied, “Nah,” his red mouth curved into a satisfied smile. Harry’s dimple appeared when he smiled, his teeth snagging on his lower lip with his growing smile. He admired Louis’ beauty, will always admire his beauty. He moved his hand to his neck, thumbing his Adam’s Apple where he felt his heartbeat pulsating.

“Hey, Haz?”

“Yeah?” he sighed. He leaned in and sucked his soft skin into his mouth. Louis hummed a low groan, his hand fisting Harry’s t shirt. His voice was light and shaky when it came out to say, “I do love how your mind works.”

Outside of the room, Zayn and Liam bent low, their hands cupped around their ears in order to listen better. Up until now, they had heard every little detail of their conversation. Zayn turned around to face him, their faces only inches apart.

“Wow, they’re really going at it, huh?”

“Well they stopped now but yeah, it was a bit loud.”

“They’re awfully quiet.”

“I think Harry’s crying. You know how he gets when Louis gets hysterical. He yells and throws things all over the place. Remember the last time he threw a vase at his head? Would have knocked him out if Harry hadn’t ducked.”

Liam was close enough Zayn could smell sugary tea on his breath. His breaths fanned out over his high cheekbones, Zayn’s dark eyelashes fluttering when he looked down to his lips.

“Oh, yeah. But you know Harry, that kind of stuff gets him off. He didn’t get out of his room for days afterwards because they were having angry sex.”

Liam visibly shuddered. “Ugh. Don’t remind me. He came out with hickeys all over his neck. Looked like he was dating a bloody vampire.”

Harry lathed his tongue over Louis’ skin, colored a beautiful blooming red. He kissed him three times there and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Louis looked pleased with his work, a smug smile evident on his face.

“Hey. Do you think Zay and Li are listening to us right now?”

“Of course they are.” Louis snorted. “Wanna pull a prank?”

“Um, let me think about it.” Harry snapped his fingers beside his head, his eyes lighting up. “Yes!”

“Cool. Follow my lead.”

A loud moan cut through the air. Harry widened his eyes, Louis wickedly arching his back for show. Whiny moans escaped his pretty mouth, Louis closing his eyes and tilting his head back. Harry wanted to throw him roses and Oscars. He bit his lip in anticipation, Louis’ moans growing louder and needier by the second. Although Louis taught theatre and drama, his acting pornographic mouth was nowhere near as good as his real bedroom voice.

Harry bit his hand from laughing. He swore he heard a tumble of limbs on the floor, Zayn’s hushed voice groaning out a, “Fucking gross,” from outside the closed door.

Harry grinned at him. He walked his fingertips over his thighs. He stopped his hand at the waistband of his jeans, his index finger fingering the lace of his panties. God, he loved when Louis borrowed his clothes.

“Hey, Lou. Wanna pull a bigger prank?” he asked in his low voice. He knew it turned Louis on.

Louis’ sleepy eyes flickered awake. His eyes lingered on Harry’s hand, watching him with a raised eyebrow.

“What is it?” he whispered.

“What if we actually have sex?” Harry proposed, his bottom lip tucking under his teeth.

Louis pursed his lips as if he was actually thinking about it. His slicked mouth curved into a grin, his hand slipping to Harry’s flushed cheek.

“I like how your mind works, Styles.”

He laid down, pulling Harry along with him. Harry straddled him, his legs resting outside of his body and bracketing him. He placed his hands on his chest, rubbing his nipples over the thin cotton material of his shirt. Louis fluttered his eyes closed, his eyelashes fanning across his high cheekbones. Harry unbuttoned his jeans, eyeing the bulge in the middle of his pants. He tugged down his pants around to his knees, keeping him locked in. He rubbed him a few times and bent his head down, mouthing his length and smiling around the wet patch of fabric.

Louis parted his lips, a soft moan escaping his mouth. He swallowed hard and moaned again when Harry’s hot, insistent mouth sucked him harder through the material. The quiet room was filled with Harry’s sucking and Louis’ pretty moans.

Loving Louis was fun. He was going to miss his boy so much.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis held him in a bone-crushing hug. He held on to him as if he was going to lose him forever and time was running away. He supposed it was true. Harry was leaving to university two hours away. Louis was going to stay and continue teaching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title comes from the song Sweet Annie by Zac Brown Band. Disclaimer: This is a work of complete fiction. None of this is real, nor did it happen.
> 
> I'm so happy with the way this chapter came out. Originally, it was longer but I decided to cut it short. Just over 4k words! I know this is already written and I'm undermining my own point but please, please, please tell me if you want me to continue writing!! I am still iffy about this story.

It was Thursday morning when Harry was leaving to New York. It was also 4 bloody o’clock in the morning and Louis was very, very tired. It all seemed so surreal when he helped Harry pack the last of his bags, flinging them in the trunk.

“You sure that’s it?” he asked, closing the top shut and leaning against it with his hands shoved in his pockets.

Considering he was sending off his boyfriend to a university filled with interesting, arty people for four years, Louis was doing fine. The lack of sleep made it feel like he was hallucinating but he was more than fine with it. It helped lessen the pain actually.

“Yeah,” he replied, mirroring Louis.

They stared at each other for a while. Harry was smiling so softy it made it seem like Louis was in a dream. He brought his head out of the sky and into reality. He raised his eyebrows, shrugging.

“Off you go then.”

“Oh.” Harry opened his mouth, surprised. “Right.”

“You don’t wanna be late.”

Harry was stunned. He nodded to himself, walking reluctantly to the driver’s seat of the car. Before he could hop in however, Louis tugged his arm back and enveloped him in a hug. Harry wrapped his arms around his waist and lifted him up in the air, Louis’ muffled giggles coming somewhere from his chest. He set him down, his smile relaxed and easy.

Louis thumbed his cheek, smiling sleepily. “You’ll tell me when you get there, yeah?” Harry nodded, smiling softly in the quiet dark. The sun hadn’t come up yet.

Louis kissed him on the cheek and walked backwards. Harry got his cue to leave and opened the car door, smiling to say, “You can still tell me the words.”

“Alright, then.” Louis shrugged, his sleepy eyelids closing and opening. “Stay.”

Harry laughed bright and loud in the silence. He shook his head and climbed in, starting the engine. He waved at Louis as he backed out of the driveway, blowing him kisses and making ridiculous faces. Louis was too sleepy to return the gesture and merely waved. Before Harry left, he turned around and walked right back inside their, _his_ , empty flat.

He missed when Harry’s smile stopped at his lips.

He didn’t make it to his bed however. Instead, he grabbed his phone, wallet and keys and jogged down to the stairs outside. He climbed in his car and revved out of the driveway, fixing his rearview mirror. Harry was gone.

The first night without Harry seemed the hardest, so Louis drove the quiet streets until he arrived at his destination. He climbed out and jogged up the short steps to the blue door. His hand was stuck on the doorknob, locked. He pursued his lips and started digging through the near pots of plants until his fingers caught on a silver key. He smiled and twisted the key in the lock, opening the door.

He threw the keys in a small blue bowl by the entrance and shrugged off his coat. Whereas outside was starting to get chilly due to the lack of sun, inside was warm and cozy. He toed off his Adidas trainers by the door and padded quietly to the closed bedroom door. He nicked it shut behind him and climbed on the bed, a tuft of blonde hair peeking through the top of the duvet.

He rested a hand to his warm, pale skin, gooseflesh prickling under his touch. The boy jumped and spun around, his big blue eyes bewildered. As soon as he startled awake and realized it was only Louis, he knocked out instantaneously, his breathing resumed to deep breaths. He shifted in his sleep, Louis tucking his legs around his ankles and pulling the duvet to his shoulders. He decided on being the little spoon and turned around, slipping his hand underneath the cool pillow.

Niall mumbled in his sleep and looped one arm loosely around Louis’ waist. Sighing contently, he tucked him closer to his chest. Louis sighed deep and heavy, willing his body to relax into the warmth behind him.

“Fuck,” Niall murmured. “You’re good at being the little spoon.”

Louis hummed, his heavy eyes flickering shut. He swallowed, his throat feeling dry and raw. “Dunno. I was always the big spoon around Harry.”

“Well, Harry’s not here anymore is he.”

Breaths of warm air puffed over the nape of Louis’ neck, making the small hair on his neck rise. A salty tear rolled down his cheek and disappeared on the pillow.

“No.” Louis closed his eyes tightly and burrowed his face in the damp pillow. “No, he’s not.”

He fell asleep before he could see his phone light up with a new message.

**How is it that I miss you already?**

. . .

“So how are you holding up, Louis?” Liam asked, swirling his spoon in his cup and clinking it against the rim.

Louis shrugged, his own cup of tea settled in front of him. He dug his spoon in his bowl of Froot Loops and swirled the little o’s around like a small river.

Niall speared a piece of cantaloupe and shoved it in his mouth. He moaned and speared watermelon, melon and pineapple with his prongs.

It was the morning after and Louis felt like absolute shit. He felt hung over more than anything. He hardly had any sleep last night and his head was banging with a headache. It was too early for conversation. He glanced at the clock, reading 9 o’clock and inwardly groaned, slumping his head on the surface of the mahogany table.

“Dunno about you but…” Niall shoved another forkful of brightly colored fruits into his eager mouth. “Slept so good last night. Louis was so good at being the little spoon.”

“Tell me about it.” Zayn came around and hugged Louis to his chest, his arm slinging underneath his armpit. “Missed those days in uni when we slept together and woke up with Lou plastered to my chest.”

Louis snuffled another groan as Zayn pressed a kiss behind his ear. He waved him off, Zayn snickering quietly and sitting across from Liam.

“Ugh.” Liam wrinkled his nose. “Don’t remind me. It’s weird enough that I have to deal with the fact that you and Louis dated back in university. It’s like my two brothers were dating before I got the sloppy seconds.”

“Hey.” Zayn prodded his ribs. “You said you didn’t mind I dated Louis before you.”

Liam took a sip of tea, looking thoughtful. “That was back then when I had no chance with you and wanted to get in your pants.”

Zayn laughed brightly. Louis rolled his eyes even where they were behind closed eyelids. He heard unmistakable mushy sounds which could only be Zayn and Liam kissing. Niall slurped loudly beside him, licking his fingers from base to tip. Louis shot up straight in his chair, his eyes red rimmed and tired in the weak light.

“Can you all just…” He pressed his fingers to his temple. “Please, for the love of God _, shut up_.”

“Aw, Lou Lou,” Zayn teased. “Did someone wake up the mean old Grinch this morning?”

“Leave him alone.” Liam furrowed his eyebrows, immediately concerned for his friend. “Lou, is something wrong? Did you and Harry break up?”

“No!” Louis replied, offended. “We didn’t break up for Christ’s sake. Why can’t I, for once in my goddamn life, be miserable for once in my goddamn life!”

Niall popped his pinky out of his mouth, his lips shiny with spit and juice. “You said that already, LouBoo.”

“Ugh!” Louis got up from the table and spread his fingers on the surface. “I’m gonna go back to bed and please don’t bother me for the next five to six—“

“Hours?” Liam supplied happily.

“Days.”

“Oh.”

Liam visibly deflated in his chair, Niall’s slurps stopping. Zayn kissed his cheek, scratching his neck and murmuring, “He didn’t mean that babe,” in his ear.

“Look.” Louis rubbed his fist over his right eye. “I’m not gonna apologize for your sensitivity.” Liam pouted, his big brown puppy eyes wide. “Or for being the best thing that’s ever happened to you.” Zayn frowned, looking around himself until he saw Louis was glaring at him. “Or for…being the best thing that’s happened to you last night.” Niall puckered his lips, the fork slipping out of his mouth.

“And I’m definitely not going to apologize for being bitter that my boyfriend left for university. I have a right to be. I don’t have my boyfriend here with me.” Liam and Zayn glanced at each other and shifted away uncomfortably, noticing how pressed up they were against each other.

“And I don’t have nobody with me either. Now I know how Niall feels around us. Sorry about that mate.” Niall’s eyebrows pinched together, raising his head when Louis mentioned his name. He had momentarily forgotten about the others and was focused on Louis’ delicious soggy cereal.

“So, that being said, I’m going to my room and lock myself until I feel better or die. You’ll know when I pass away to the other side when you smell the stench of a dead body.”

With that, he resolutely walked to the room and slammed the door shut. All three boys were left gaping after him. Niall flicked his finger up, murmuring with a defeated expression, “But that’s my room.”

“Sorry Ni.” Zayn plucked a watermelon from Niall’s almost empty plate and popped it into his mouth. “Nothing to do about it now.”

Niall nodded and hugged the bowl of cereal to his chest, shoving a spoonful of soggy o’s into his mouth. He walked to the living room on socked feet and wrapped a fluffy white blanket over his head, turning up the tv. He mumbled something like, “Kicked out from my own bed in my own house.”

“You think he’s gonna be alright?” Liam asked, concern furrowing his eyebrows.

“Yeah,” Zayn said sadly. He looked at the closed bedroom door. “He always is.”

Louis whined and burrowed himself farther into the cocoon of blankets he barricaded for himself. The phone rang annoyingly on the bedside table, Louis’ hand shooting out to silence his alarm. When the ringtone didn’t stop, he frowned and plucked his phone up. He brought it inside his safe cavern and blinked wearily at the bright blue screen.

He scrubbed his eyes awake, his vision blurry. A picture of a beautiful woman with long brown hair and blue eyes appeared. Louis’ mum. He flicked his thumb to the right, accepting the call.

“Hey mum.”

“Hi boo. How are you doing?”

“I’m fine. How are the girls? Is something wrong?”

He sat in Niall’s _, his_ , bed, the blankets tumbling around him like a waterfall. Dread picked up on his skin, making gooseflesh appear on his arms. He scratched his inner thigh, his throat closing in on itself.

“The girls are fine. We’re all okay.”

“Jesus,” Louis breathed out. “Next time won’t you pause for longer?”

Jay laughed beautifully in his ear. Louis missed the comfort his mum provided. He smiled faintly and pressed the phone between his cheek and shoulder.

“It’s so cute when you get worried. Where’s Harry? I want to tell him hi. I miss him. Maybe next time you both boys can come home, the girls miss you lot.”

Louis sighed, closing his eyes for a beat.

“Mum. He’s not here.”

“Where is he?” Jay clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth after a beat. “Oh, Lou.”

“Yeah.”

“How long has it been since he broke up with you?”

Louis’ eyes shot open. He frowned at the phone, his hand clenching around the small device unwillingly.

“No! Why is everyone so keen on the idea that we broke up? Or that he’s the one who will do the breaking up? More importantly, why does no one believe that _I’m_ the one who wants to break up? Not even my own mum.”

Jay sighed into the phone. He could imagine her lips pressed tight and rubbing two fingers on her temple when she was frustrated or tired or both. Teenage Louis may or may not be the cause of her prior stress.

“You want to break up?”

“What? No.” Louis rubbed his temple, agitated. “He just left…for university. Last night.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful dear. Why did I not know about this? Does Harry’s mum know?”

“No.” Louis opened his bedside table and rummaged through it until he grabbed his planner. He flipped it to today’s date and wrote _phone mum more_ in neat writing. “I don’t even think she knows. He just found out a couple of days before.”

“Well, this is exciting news! I can’t wait to ring Anne up and tell her. She’s going to be so thrilled! Maybe we can celebrate together with drinks. Hmm? How does that sound, Lou?”

She babbled in his ear, Louis absentmindedly writing _Harry_ all over the margins of the page. He signed his name at the bottom, catching himself and scratching out Harry’s name. He wasn’t eighteen with a stupid crush anymore.

“Sure, mum.” He closed his planner and placed it back to its rightful place. He tried for a smile but it came out all wrong. “Sounds lovely.”

“I’ll call her as soon as we hang up.”

He could hear her smile over the phone. He smiled for real this time, genuine. His mum always brought out the best of him.

As soon as she was about to end the call, he shouted a, “Wait!” He waited for the beep to come but it never did.

“Yes, love?”

“Is it okay if I come by? Later, I mean. I miss the girls too.”

The line was quiet on the other end. He looked at his phone to make sure his mum hadn’t hung up. She didn’t.

“Of course dear. But, is everything alright?”

“Yes mum. Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Well you usually don’t jump at the chance to visit us since you’re so busy at keeping Harry entertained.”

If it was anybody else but his mum, Louis would find it accusing. But it was his mum and she was anything but hostile. She seemed to be genuinely concerned.

“I miss the girls. That’s it.”

“Okay, love. I’ll tell them you’ll be coming home.”

“Yeah.” Louis gripped the phone tighter in his hand, his eyes clenching tight with fresh tears. “Home.”

They said their good byes and Louis hung up, feeling much better about himself. Without overthinking it, he grabbed Niall’s suitcase from his closet and rolled it outside. He sure Niall wouldn't mind. Besides, he needed to invest in a proper suitcase since Harry took his. He peered in the kitchen and living room but no one seemed to be here. Except for, of course, Niall who was snoring loudly on the sofa, his mouth open and saliva pooling on his cheek.

Louis smiled softly at him and grabbed a sharpie and sticky note from the kitchen. He hastily scribbled _Going to mum’s for the wknd. Sorry bout earlier. Love you guys, don’t call, email or text. Thnx._

He went over to Niall and drew a circumcised penis on his forehead with a smiley face. He laughed to himself and signed his autograph on his cheek. He patted his cheek and left the sharpie on the coffee table.

He closed the door after himself and lunged the suitcase in the trunk. He climbed in and backed out of the driveway. He was heading home. Not their _home_ , where Harry and Louis sipped hot chocolate and kissed messily and giggled drunkenly on the floor, but his childhood home.

He got home and jogged up the steps to his flat. He keyed himself in and rummaged through his closet and Harry’s. He ended up packing more of Harry’s clothes than anything else. He grabbed the last of his utensils like his toothbrush, contact solution and passport and headed out. The bed was still unmade from the night where Harry slept in and he looked at it longingly before grabbing his pillow. It smelled faintly like Harry’s fruity shampoo.

He zipped his suitcase up and hauled it into the trunk. He clasped his seatbelt in and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. He was humming a happy tune when he remembered to pick up something for the girls on his way over before he got to the airport. He could not _not_ bring them presents. It was the only way they would forgive him for visiting rarely.

It wasn’t until he stopped at a red light that he thumbed through his missed text messages. His thumb hovered over Harry’s name. He opened it, his heart clenching behind his ribcage.

He ordered the butterflies in his stomach to stop.

**How is it that I miss you already?**

He sent it at 4:34 am. Not even an hour passed by that he left until he announced he missed Louis. He thumbed his response and sent it.

_I miss you more my love._

Louis arrived at his childhood home in approximately six hours. Like a sixth sense, Jay came running out and hugged him so tight he could barely breathe. He didn’t mind though, just breathed her familiar scent in and buried his face in her perfumed neck. It was good to be back home. Not soon after, a blurry of four girls came tumbling outside and rampaged him in a hug with limbs and legs and knees hitting in sensitive areas.

He grimaced through it all, the girls hugging him so tight he felt his airwaves cut off.

“Girls,” he gasped, the girls giggling beside him. “I can’t breathe.”

“I told you the girls missed you.”

“Hey, Lou. Where are my presents?”

“Yeah, Lou!”

He glanced at Lottie who was busy chewing loudly on pink bubblegum. He raised his eyebrows at her.

“Not too old for presents, eh?”

Lottie rolled her eyes, popping a bubble with her gum. She extended her hand out, raising her eyebrow in that infamous Tommo way.

“Nope.”

“In the trunk.” He thumbed towards the car, the girls laughing and toppling over each other as they hurried over to grab their gifts. Even Lottie shoved her phone in her back pocket and ran after the rest, giggling to herself.

“I swear they only use me for presents,” he huffed, running a hand through his hair. He turned to Jay who was already smiling at him. “Now.” He swung an arm around her, smiling brightly. “How’s my favorite girl?”

“You’re just saying that because you’re hungry, huh? Long trip?”

Louis rubbed his stomach, laughing. “You know me so well.”

“What’s it gonna be? Pasta with my famous Alfredo sauce or macaroni and cheese I made for the girls?”

Louis hummed as he walked them over to the house, the girls all squealing in delight at their new clothes, shoes and makeup.

“How about both?”

“That’s my boy.” She pinched his cheek and smiled, leading them inside.

The sun was slipping over the horizon, casting soulful colors of oranges, pinks and yellows. The Tomlinson family were seated around the table, the girls filling Louis in about what he missed. Apparently Daisy wanted to join the soccer team and Phoebe the cheerleading team. Fizzy wanted to start her own YouTube channel and Lottie had a new boyfriend that spoiled her rotten. Jay was still working at the hospital as a nurse and was gushing to Louis about baby season, which was the time where more babies were born than any other time. Louis was smiling happily to their chatter, his belly warm.

His phone vibrated in the pocket of his trousers, Louis sucking in his thumb clean of Alfredo sauce. Jay made a mean sauce. He murmured his apologies and excused himself from the table.

He glanced at the caller ID, his belly now warm from other things than the macaroni and cheese and pasta he consumed. He smiled at Harry’s name and picture plastered on his phone and accepted the call.

“Lou,” Harry giggled quietly. “Lou, Lou, Lou. Your eyes are so blue. Will you be my boo?”

Louis laughed into his fist. He opened the windowed sliding door to the backyard and slid it shut, Harry’s raspy voice in his ear jolly and loud.

“Harry,” Louis sighed. “How are you doing bubba? How’s Pratt?”

He could hear other voices clattering in the background, distracting him from the lovely voice in his ear. Harry shouted at the other people and laughed abruptly. He could envision his hand clamping over his mouth.

“Hey Lou. What’s up?”

Louis frowned. He brought his hand to his mouth, his thumbnail finding its way between his sharp teeth. It was a filthy habit.

“Um. You called. Is everything alright?”

“Hm? Oh, yes! I wanted to call you to say I miss your delicious arse.”

Louis widened his eyes, shocked. He wanted to cover Harry’s face with his hand whenever the other boy shouted naughty obscenities. He remembered that he was miles away, and somehow the realization of that settled in, weighing him down like a heavy anchor.

“Harry…Are you drunk?”

“Nope,” Harry said happily. He hiccupped. Yup, he was definitely drunk. “’M not drunk. Are you? Why are you having so much fun without me?”

“I’m not.” He walked over to the broken swing set and sat down on the less rusty one. “I miss your ugly face."

He could see Harry’s brows pinching together. He was confident enough that he didn’t cuddle in on himself whenever Louis teased him about his looks.

“I am not ugly mister.”

Louis imagined that Harry was at a party and no one was as nearly as fun as Louis so he went into a room and chatted him up. Or he was at a dingy pub and went outside to call him despite the heavy smokers. Maybe he was even hanging out with some new friends and decided that he would rather talk to Louis instead, even after meeting new and interesting people. Something like pride swelled up inside him at the thought.

“I’m actually at my mum’s. I don’t know if you planned on telling her, but I told her you got in at Pratt,” he said quietly.

“I figured. Mum called me and started talking my ear off about how now she hears things about me from someone else’s mother.”

Louis laughed. He kicked his feet up in the air, the old swing creaking in the night. He shuddered to himself. The sun had disappeared and was now replaced with a chilly night and the moon and the stars.

He looked up at the moon, swallowing hard.

“Mum asked me about you so I couldn’t lie. Had to tell her where you went.”

“Yeah.”

They were silent for a few moments. It seemed like there were a lot of those now. He could hear Harry’s swallow from the other end, the previous voices in the background silent.

“Lou. I think I made a mistake.”

“What?” Louis stopped swinging, planting his feet on the ground firmly. “No. What do you mean?”

“I miss you so much it hurts.”

Louis wanted to say, _it hurts more_ , but he knew he couldn’t. It was times like these where Harry returned to the insecure sixteen-year-old he once was. He needed him the most. Louis gathered up his strength and rushed out in one breath, “Hey. It’s good that you’re at university. I was kind of the reason why you dropped out in the first place.”

“No.” Harry sobered up, his voice sure. “Lou, don’t say that. If anything, it was my decision. You were graduating and moving away to your new job and I didn’t want to let you go. I didn’t want to grow up. So I moved in with you and it was honestly the best decision I’ve ever made in my life.”

“Yeah, okay.” Louis swallowed hard, again. “Okay.”

“I just miss you a lot.” Harry sniffed. “I wanna come home.”

“It’s only been one day,” Louis said pathetically. “We can’t be like those couples that are desperate and clingy without each other.”

“But I am clingy without you!” Quieter, he said, “I need you.”

Louis bit back his tongue. He rubbed his palm over his face. He wanted him to come home too.

_Just say the words._

He pushed back the guilt crawling up his throat. He owed Harry to finish university and earn his degree. If it wasn’t for him, they would’ve lived happily together with their respective jobs. As much as Harry loved babies, he was no housewife. He was loud and energetic and deserved to have a job where people respected his brilliant mind.

“Listen to me baby. You’re gonna finish art school and you’re gonna come home the right way, okay? No backsies. You’re stronger than this.”

“Okay, okay. I’m doing this for you, Louis.”

“No.” Louis resolutely shook his head, even though Harry couldn’t see him. He imagined he could. “You’re doing this for you. And if not, then for the both of us. Not just for me.”

“Yeah,” Harry said quietly. “For us.”

Louis smiled at his phone. He thumbed Harry’s picture with his goofy smile and crinkled eyes. He pressed it back to his cheek. He looked up at the moon and covered it with his thumb.

“Hey, Lou?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you looking at the moon too?”

Louis smiled, his eyes crinkled shut.

“Yeah, baby boy. I am.”

To other people, a phone call didn’t seem enough, but to Louis, it was more than enough. It was…Everything.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis held him in a bone-crushing hug. He held on to him as if he was going to lose him forever and time was running away. He supposed it was true. Harry was leaving to university two hours away. Louis was going to stay and continue teaching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title comes from the song Sweet Annie by Zac Brown Band. Disclaimer: This is a work of complete fiction. None of this is real, nor did it happen.
> 
> Another lengthy chapter! I introduced a new character into this fic, so I hope you guys will enjoy the possibly, new couple? ;)

A restful week later, Louis hugged his family good bye and flew back to London. They were a little bit sad but they were more content than ever that he visited them early than waiting for December to roll around.

“Next time, you come visit us when Harry’s around,” Jay had scolded.

Louis rolled his eyes and huffed out, “Mum,” accepting her tight hug and chocolate cookies to take along the way in case he got hungry. He kissed all four girls on top of their heads and waved, backing away and plugging in his phone. The first chords of _Isn’t She Lovely_ by Stevie Wonder bellowed out, Louis humming along to the lyrics under his breath.

Doncaster was a mild distraction he desperately deserved. School started next week and he was itching to get back to his regular schedule filled with restless nights and loud classroom days. The summer was fun, but Louis was more than ready to get back in action. Naturally, that was when he found himself situated in this mess.

“Fucking ‘ell.”

Louis ran up the steps of the school, his tie flung loosely over his shoulder. It was the first day of school and Louis was late. Stupidly late. He took pride in taking time before school, taking a long hot shower, making himself a cuppa and eating toast with beans. Sometimes he would take delight in pep talking himself before he opened the car door and walked into a new day. But today was not his fucking day as he was so very late. It was all Niall’s fault, really. It was always Niall’s fault. Global warming? Niall's fault.

_“C’mon LouBoo. It would take you out of your slump.” Niall poked his head through the duvet_

_He was using that ridiculous name Harry used on him when he was first pinning over him, back when they were sixteen and eighteen. He barged in and tugged the sheets off of him, demanding to go grocery shopping for some beer and nachos. He wanted to get blacked out drunk the day before school. Obviously Louis declined. But Niall was persistent and he was weak and he only accepted when Niall offered to do his laundry for a month. So naturally, Louis got up from bed only to slam the door in his face and take a hot shower. He could never deny someone to treat him like the king he was._

_That night, he swallowed down so many (Louis couldn’t remember) shots and ignored the burning in his throat. Instead, he allowed the warm feeling to bubble in his lower belly. Zayn and Liam joined in on their night and soon they plugged in the karaoke machine, singing loudly and freely. They had gotten three noise complaints and even the cops showed up, but they continued to party on. Eventually Zayn, somehow, seduced the cops to drop the charges and brought them inside the flat. So there Louis was, running a hand through his sticky hair (he hoped, prayed, it wasn’t come) and watched as Niall danced shirtless on top of the kitchen island, Zayn and Liam kissing each other hungrily on the sofa and one of the cops strip teasing to the other cop._

_He fell asleep on the floor that was sticky covered with ketchup and mayonnaise goop. He woke up with a throbbing headache and pants-less. He freaked out but calmed down as soon as he saw the cop beside him was indeed, fully clothed. Taking one sniff at his armpit, he retched and took a quick shower. It wasn’t until he grabbed his phone from where it was wedged between the couch cushions that he realized the time and literally ran to his car. He made it out of his driveway before he stopped the car in the middle of the street and ran back, grabbing his rucksack and stuffing papers, pencils and his newest copy of Wuthering Heights. He was distressed and hadn’t made his usual mean mug of tea._

Snap back to reality, Louis jogged into the school, papers flying out of his rucksack. He checked his watch and deemed he had a few minutes before class started. Instead of going his usual route to his classroom, he turned right and went to the teacher’s lounge. If he didn’t have some caffeine in him now, he would be cranky the rest of the day. It was too early in the year for his students to see that version of him.

Fresh brewed coffee called out his name. He poured himself a mug of tea and grabbed a complimentary granola bar from the basket of treats. He was reading over the proteins when someone came in, their face hidden underneath a black hoodie.

Louis nodded, pursuing his mouth to the left. The man was wearing dark Aviators inside. _Inside._ If he had any indication that it was Zayn over his bow shaped lips he once kissed, then he had his confirmation clear as day when he grabbed the mug from Louis’ hands and chugged the coffee down in a few slurps.

“Fuck,” he grimaced. He finally looked up, his eyes red and bleak. “It’s hot.”

“Well,” Louis sighed, leaning back with his hands pressed to the table. “It was coffee. _My_ coffee.”

Zayn wiped his hand across his mouth and bestowed a travel mug and placed it in Louis’ hands.

“Don’t complain. I brought you your favorite.”

Louis gasped, clutching the travel mug to his chest. He swiped his hand over his eyes, dabbing at his fake tears.

“Yorkshire? You drank my coffee but saved me tea?”

Zayn shrugged, going over to the coffee pot and pouring himself another mug. He placed it in the microwave, beeping in a few seconds. He turned to him, lifting his glasses to perch on top of his head.

“Yeah, well. You know I can’t function in the morning without coffee. Plus, I have a free first period this year.”

“You lucky bastard.”

Louis kissed his head and flicked his glasses on his nose again. Zayn groaned and pawed him away. The last thing he heard before leaving the teacher’s lounge was Zayn’s hiss where he was sure he scathed his tongue over the burning coffee.

He laughed to himself and walked over to his designated classroom as soon as the bell rang for first period. He smoothed his crinkled tie and looked down, murmuring an, “Oops,” and zipping up his zipper. He wrote _Mr. Tomlinson_ on the whiteboard as the students filed in one by one.

He turned around, spreading the tips of his fingers on the smooth surface of the table. He offered them a smile, his unusually large class smiling back at him. He knew he was one of the hotter and younger teachers in school (something the other male teachers envied him for) and was one of the reasons why so many students signed up to be in his class. That and the fact was that he was cool, witty and funny, something the students liked. He also attracted female students and closeted male students. He was basically the Leonardo Di Caprio of the school.

“Good morning everyone.”

“Good morning,” the students cheered, some girls in the front dreamily staring at him.

He pulled his tie from his neck, too tight, and ran his fingers through his spiky hair. He smoothed the end and fluffed up the front.

Before he could begin his usual introductions though, one of the kids shot their hand straight in the air. Usually he didn’t have any questions until the end of the period. Louis raised his eyebrow, beckoning him with a wave of his fingers.

“Um. Yes?”

“Mr. Tomlinson why do you have ketchup on your ear?”

Louis frowned and touched his ear confusedly. He smelled his red fingers and grimaced, it was ketchup alright. A girl offered him a tissue and he accepted it with an easy smile. Some of the boys in the back snickered quietly.

“Right. Ladies and gentlemen, one day you will attend university and you will find yourself. Along with studying very hard several nights in a row for finals week, you will attend parties and get hammered. This,” he pointed at his ear, still sticky sweet from ketchup. “Will be one of the end results.”

The boys hollered and whooped while the girls rolled their eyes and yawned. “I’m also gonna deduct five points from your exam to whoever is laughing,” he explained calmly.

The boys closed their mouths rapidly. Louis laughed, pursuing his lips to stifle gentle laughter. “Just kidding,” he added with a cheeky wink. He swore he saw one of the girls up front almost faint.

The boys exhaled in relief, some high-fiving and others shaking their head in disbelief. Louis loved that the kids understood his dry sense of humor. He brought up his copy of _Wuthering Heights_ , slapping the cover.

“As you all know, I requested for _Wuthering Heights_ to be on the reading list this year. Written by Emily Brontë and published in 1846, this novel is a classic work of literature that conveyed religious hypocrisy, morality, social classes and gender inequality…”

This he could do. He was back in his environment where he was the best version of himself. And he was good, really good. Last year he was nominated as best teacher of the year and the year before that. The kids loved him too. They praised him even. He could distract himself from 8 am to 4 pm and sometimes even later when his students would invite him to their games and such. When he would come home, he had Netflix and Zayn, Liam and Niall.

It distracted him from missing Harry. Besides, missing him suddenly became a part of him. It followed him everywhere. It was enough that he didn’t feel so alone anymore.

After he went over his syllabus and his first lecture of the day, the time passed by quickly. He addressed colored journals to each different period because he wanted to get organized this year. (He also had a reputation for being a hardworking yet messy teacher). It was soon four o’clock and the bell rang to dismiss his students.

“Alright everybody.” Louis raised his voice over the chatter of his students. “Remember to read chapter one of _Wuthering Heights_. If you don’t, you’ll be lost tomorrow. Have a good day!”

The students called out their good byes, packing up their things and gossiping to each other excitedly. He stood by the door and watched students walk in the hallway like a stampede. A stampede of horny, bipolar, pubescent teenagers. Another teacher across from him stood at their doorway as well. Louis scanned his eyes over his body, looking up to his pretty face. A new teacher. He hummed to himself and decided that tomorrow he was going to strike up a conversation with him. He knew how it felt to be a new face in the sea of people that already knew each other.

He sat at his desk and drummed his fingers on the table. He swiped a new text from Liam, asking him to come over for a movie marathon. He squinted his eyes at Harry’s name lost in the midst of his emails. A missed call. Louis must have missed it last night when he was drunk or asleep.

He double tapped on his name and waited for the call to pick up.

“Hey, this is Harry—“

“Hey.” Louis grinned.

“And I can’t come to the phone right now but please leave a message. And your name too!”

Louis frowned and looked at his phone. The call beeped indicating to leave a voicemail. It wasn’t like Harry to send him to voicemail. He always picked up on the first ring or called back if he missed him. He coughed into his fist.

“Uh. Hey Harry, just saw that you called me last night. Sorry I didn’t answer. The guys…They got me wasted and it was a little out of control.” He laughed nervously. “Um. Yeah. Anyways. Call me back.” He sighed before rushing to add, “Love you. Okay. Bye.”

“Hey Lou.”

Louis jumped in his seat, spinning around to meet Zayn’s gaze. He clutched a hand to his chest, exhaling out a heavy breath.

“Jesus Zayn, you scared me.”

“Ready to go?” Zayn thumbed behind himself.

Louis nodded and picked up his things. He stuffed _Wuthering Heights_ in his rucksack and flung it across his shoulder. He flicked the lights off and fell into step with Zayn.

“Did you see the new teacher?”

Louis bit his lip. “Um, yeah.”

“Est -il pas beau?” Louis scrutinized his eyes, frowning at him. Zayn sighed and translated, “Isn’t he beautiful?” with a dreamy smile.

“Yeah.” Louis licked his lips. The memory of a pretty face attached to a hot body flashed across his eyes. “He’s kind of hot.”

“Kind of?” Zayn squawked. He opened the door for Louis and walked behind him, repeating, “Kind of!”

“Okay, yeah. He’s very hot.” Louis rolled his eyes. He lifted his rucksack strap from where it was sliding down his shoulder.

“He’s like a dream,” Zayn babbled. “Les choses que je voudrais le laisser faire pour moi sont indicibles.”

“What?” Louis’ eyebrows pinched together. He unlocked his car and opened the backseat’s door to throw his rucksack in. He settled himself in the driver’s seat and rolled down his window.

“What did you say?”

“I can’t believe we dated for well over a year and you didn’t pick up on any of my French.” Zayn hanged his forearms on the door, running a hand through his slicked quiff.

Louis sighed, plugging his phone in so it could charge. He glanced at the screen, pursuing his lips when the phone lit up but no new text message arrived. He flicked his head around to face him, his expression bored.

“Zayn. You took one class of French and suddenly you think that you’re a perfectionist at it. I doubt you’re even speaking perfect French.”

Before Zayn could open his mouth to protest, Louis held his hand up, interrupting him. “Besides, you never even spoke French around me. I was pretty much a done deal with you, no need to swoon me more. Liam though, he might get a kick out of that.”

He rolled up the window, Zayn snatching his arms away before Louis could cause some serious collateral damage to them. He tapped on the window, Louis turning up the car radio so loud the car itself vibrated with the bass.

“You’re still coming to Liam’s movie marathon night, right?”

Louis mouthed, “What?” cupping his hand around his ear. Zayn yelled, “You’re still coming to Liam’s movie marathon, right?”

Louis reversed out of the parking lot, almost running over Zayn’s foot in the process. Zayn’s face fumed with anger, throwing his hands in the air.

“Louis! I swear to God this is why we broke up!”

Louis smiled happily and drove away, speeding off into the sunset. Zayn shouted obscenities at him even though Louis was long gone.

He ran one hand through his hair, his shoulders stiff. He noticed two old ladies were standing still near their car, their mouths agape.

“What?” he shouted. “If you had him as a friend you would know my situation.”

He stomped off to his car, wondering how Louis brought out the worst in him to yell at little old ladies in an empty parking lot.

. . .

Harry and Louis were walking on troubled waters. Three weeks passed by and they only had two FaceTime calls, five phone calls, and several scattered messages. Louis didn’t know what was going on. All he knew was that they were off. Somehow, he felt like it was his fault. After he missed Harry’s phone call, the day Harry called back, he sounded strange. Off. It was weird. It was the beginning of the school year for both of them and Louis seriously thought they would have emailed, texted and called more than the amount of times they did. If they were like this when they weren’t busy, they were treading into dark waters.

It was his last free period when Louis found himself pondering over it. Wondering where they went wrong. Maybe Harry didn’t want to seem clingy but that couldn’t be it either. He was obviously not holding back the first night when he confessed he needed Louis. And that was okay because Louis needed him right back.

He tapped his pen on his chin, reading the same sentence over and over again. _“_ _Hindley and his new wife, a simpering, silly woman named Frances, return to Wuthering Heights in time for Mr. Earnshaw’s funeral.”_ He circled red ink over the sentence, scribbling neatly beside it, _Next time you want to cheat off of SparkNotes, make sure you don’t copy word per word._ He groaned and palmed his face, his hair sticking out from different directions. He taught his class with pure love and passion and this was how they repaid him? He was too busy wallowing in his self-pity that he didn’t hear the soft knock on his door.

He groaned, an essay stuck to his cheek with saliva. Another knock. Louis turned to the sound, his eyes wide and alert. He scanned his eyes over the familiar person. Pretty face, hot body.

“Hi. Is it okay if I come in?”

Louis sat up on his chair. He pulled the sticky paper from his cheek, rubbing it with his hand.

“Yeah, of course. Come in. Come in. Make yourself at home.”

The man walked tentatively inside and sat down on one of the nearest desks. His long legs spread out on the floor. He smiled, pointing at Louis’ cheek.

“You got, um, a little bit of pencil there.”

“Ah, shoot.” Louis rubbed his cheek until he was sure the skin was flushed pink. “Stupid pencil.”

Obviously, he was rendered incomprehensive under this beautiful, beautiful man. Louis swallowed, a pool of saliva forming under his tongue. The man scrubbed a hand through his soft, brown hair. He grabbed a plastic container from his rucksack and opened it.

“Is it okay if I eat here? I don’t mean to intrude. It’s just that I’m new here and the other teachers are intimidating. But I overheard from my students that you’re fun so I figured you’d be nice.”

Louis nodded weakly. “Yeah. I’m that. Nice, I mean. Fun too.”

He watched him as he lifted the sandwich to his lips, licking them clean and opening his mouth wide to bite. He felt he was acting like a creep and lined his papers in a perfectly neat stack, keeping himself busy. The room was quiet save for the man’s careful chews. After a beat, he cleared his throat, asking, “What’s your name?”

Louis looked up at him. His eyes were _so_ green. “Louis. Tomlinson. Yours?”

The man smiled, his expression soft and easy. “Sebastian Stan. But you can call me Seb.” He extended his hand out for a greeting. Louis reached out, except that he didn’t quite reach him since the pesky desk was in his way. He laughed and rounded the desk, shaking his hand properly.

“Seb. It’s nice to meet you. You can call me Lou, I guess.”

Sebastian lingered on for more than usual. He let go, his lips quirked.

“You guess?”

“Yeah, I mean.” Louis shrugged, seeming shy all of a sudden. “Only my close friends call me Lou. Everybody else calls me Louis or Tomlinson.”

Sebastian laughed, swallowing another bite.

“Well, Louis. I will make it a priority to get to know you so I can call you Tomlinson.”

Louis laughed, bright and light. He had forgotten that he was still able to do that.

“Right.”

Sebastian was surprisingly easy to talk to. They had the same sense of humor and Sebastian was equally invested in footie as Louis was. After a conversation that flowed smoothly, they exchanged numbers and promised to chat each other up someday. Louis had spent so much of his life with the same people that he had forgotten how much he loved to meet new people and make new friends.

They were deep into conversation about their favorite Netflix shows, Louis forgotten all about his marking and Sebastian forgotten all about his half eaten sandwich, that neither of them heard the sound of knocking.

A cough interrupted their laughter. They both looked to the right, Zayn standing awkwardly in the doorway. Louis coughed into his fist, Sebastian going back to finish the rest of his sandwich.

“Hey Lou.” Zayn walked over to him, eyeing the stranger. “It’s getting kind of late. Thirty to five.”

“It is?” Louis looked at his watch, his eyes widening. He snapped his fingers and scrambled to get his things and scattered papers.

He turned around, flicking his hand between Zayn and his new friend Sebastian.

“Before I forget, Zayn, Seb, Seb, Zayn.”

Realization dawned on Zayn, his eyes twinkling with mirth. “So you’re the new guy everybody’s been gushing over.” He shook his hand firmly in his.

“Yeah. It’s nice to meet you man. You can call me Sebastian.”

Louis frowned at him, confused. Wasn’t it a while ago that he told Louis he could call him Seb? Zayn smiled at him easily (he had a knack for making things less awkward) and slung his arm around Louis’ shoulders. Sebastian’s eyebrows raised to his hairline, pointing between the two of them.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Are you two together?”

Zayn burst into laughter, clutching his stomach and bending over. Louis rolled his eyes, resisting the urge to smack him ‘round the head. After their amicable break up, they stayed as friends and Zayn once mentioned he found it ridiculous that they dated before since they were always better off as friends anyway.

“Zayn and I are just friends.” He glared at Zayn who was dabbing at his shining tears. “We dated once before but that’s history.”

Sebastian’s smile glowed on his face. He packed up his things, slinging his rucksack across his shoulder.

“Oh. Well. Good.”

He slapped Zayn’s shoulder in passing and smiled at Louis one last time before leaving them alone. Zayn’s loud laughter erupted into silence. He straightened and stared at Louis, unblinking. Louis closed the door and turned to face him, his hands resting on his hips.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

“What the hell is wrong with me?” He pointed at his chest first, stabbing Louis in the chest with his pointy finger. “What the hell is wrong with you!”

“Nothing.” Louis shrunk in on himself, looping his discarded rucksack across the shoulder. He noticed Sebastian had left behind his red plastic container and stuffed it into his bag without Zayn’s knowing.

“I see the way you look at him.”

“What?”

“You looked at him exactly the same way you look at Harry.”

“No I did not.” Louis’ eyebrows knitted together. He pushed past Zayn and walked out of the classroom, digging his keys out of his trousers’ pockets.

“Yes you did.” Zayn chased after him, tugging on his arm to slow him down. “You got that look in your eye when you’re determined to get someone. It’s how you won Harry over or did you forget?”

“I don’t have a look,” Louis sputtered, angry. Damn Zayn and his knowing looks. “Is it so bad that I was polite to the guy? Let me remind you that he came to _me_.”

“It doesn’t matter who came to who.” Zayn turned him around, his grip tight on his shoulder to steady him. “It’s like when somebody kisses you. It doesn’t matter that they kissed you first, it matters that you kissed them back!”

“I didn’t kiss anyone,” Louis groaned, shoving off Zayn’s grip.

He climbed into his car and shut the door, turning on the music so loud his eardrums hurt. Zayn knocked on the window forcefully. He shouted, “He doesn’t know you have a boyfriend two hours away!” while Louis stared angrily up ahead. Not even the music was loud enough to drown out Zayn’s voice worming inside his head. “Promise me you’ll tell him! Louis!”

Louis pressed his heel on the horn, honking deafeningly. Zayn shouted in agony, covering his ears and sliding down the door. Several students passed by and frowned at the scene ripped out of a sitcom, at Louis’ angry face and Zayn’s face scrunched in pain.

With a defeated sigh, he loosened his grip on the horn and lowered the music. Zayn shot up, pounding his fists on the window. “Are you fucking crazy, bro!” His Bradford accent was always more prominent when he was angry. Usually it made Louis laugh but now was not the right time. “Do you want me to fucking go deaf out here?”

Louis rolled down his window, his lips pressed in a thin line. “Oh, don’t be so dramatic. Maybe you should’ve been the one to get the degree in theatre, eh?”

Zayn ran a hand through his limp hair, tired. “Just please tell him about Harry.”

“Fine.” Louis huffed out a breath. “I will tell him tomorrow.”

“You promise?” Zayn added hopefully.

“Promise.”

He linked his pinky around Zayn’s and shooed him away. He rolled up the window and waved good bye, backing out of the driveway. He drove in silence. He didn’t remember why Zayn was so overly worked up over Sebastian. It wasn’t like he was interested in him and even if he was, it wasn’t like Louis was unfaithful. Last time he checked, Zayn was the one who cheated in their relationship but broke it off because Louis was, as he put it _, ‘too clingy’_. The nerve of that guy.

His phone vibrated on the console center. He glanced at the screen, Harry’s name flashing bright and promising.

At a red light, he thumbed it open, willing his heartbeat to calm the fuck down. It was only a text message.

**Hey, sorry about everything. I know it’s been a little weird lately. I’m just trying to figure things out here and it’s hard not to miss you. Classes are tough, I tell you that. Haha, well I gotta go now. I have a photography project due tomorrow. I promise things will work out between us Lou. I love you too much to let you go. Have a good night, don’t let the bedbugs bite. I love you so, so, so, so, so, so, much.**

Louis smiled at Harry’s perfect grammar even in text. _I love you so, so, so, so, so, so, much,_ he repeated the mantra in his head.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis held him in a bone-crushing hug. He held on to him as if he was going to lose him forever and time was running away. He supposed it was true. Harry was leaving to university two hours away. Louis was going to stay and continue teaching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title comes from the song Sweet Annie by Zac Brown Band. Disclaimer: This is a work of complete fiction. None of this is real, nor did it happen.
> 
> Almost 5k words! This is one of my lengthy chapters which is ridiculous because I thought it was going to be one of my shorter ones. Harry-bo makes an appearance here, so clap your hands for Larry! Also, you get a little snippet of phone sex so you're welcome. If that part seems familiar then it is because I grabbed a little bit of inspiration from dolce_piccante. I'm against plagiarism so I'm leaving the rightful credit. Check out her work, it's amazing! 
> 
> Do I hear any Souis (Seb/Louis) fans out there? *cricket cricket*

Louis was in trouble.

The days got easier the more time he was spending with Sebastian. He was dangerous, a little flirty, and a dork in the mix as well. All of Louis’ traits in his dream guy. He usually wasn’t one for breaking promises but the next day he was supposed to tell Sebastian about Harry, he was swept away in a game of Cards Against Humanity. Louis was a fool for cynicism. Of course, Zayn found out he didn’t tell him and swore off their friendship until Louis confessed. He didn’t because he was honestly getting tired of Zayn pestering him all the time and so he decided to humor him instead. Besides, Sebastian made for some good company anyway. He hardly missed Zayn.

Soon a few days turned into a few months and he and Harry were heading into their third month of their long distance relationship. They hardly talked since Louis was so busy with the first term and Harry as well, both boys bombarded with work and marking and studying and having a social life. They still called each other and sometimes sexted when they were feeling spontaneous, but Louis felt like Harry was his pen pal more than anything. Harry promised he would visit him _soon_ , but _soon_ never came and Louis stopped waiting.

He was sitting around a table with Sebastian playing cards during their lunch break. They marked the teacher’s lounge closest to their classrooms as theirs, the other teachers respecting their wishes. Sebastian soon became the second hottest teacher after Louis, but the students saw him as dorky than anything else. Zayn would be furious if he found out he got replaced. 

“Are you going to the October festival?” Sebastian asked, throwing him a King.

“Probably.” Louis shuffled his cards in order. “I think I’m chaperoning again this year.”

“Cool. I might come with you.”

“Alright.” Louis offered him a nine where Sebastian asked him for it. “It’s a date.”

Sebastian flickered his eyes up, his gaze intense. Louis bit his top lip as he saw the words settle behind his eyes. He didn’t mean it like that. He didn’t mean it at all. It was just a stupid thing Louis did with everybody. Harmless flirting.

Before he could open his mouth to apologize or take the words back, Sebastian said, “Don’t worry about it. I’m planning to get to know all of you before you ask me out on a date.”

Stunned, Louis’ mouth was agape. He shut it closed, narrowing his eyes in a challenge. “Is that so? Didn’t see you as the type that liked to be swoon over.”

Sebastian smirked, his green eyes alight. He bit the corner of his mouth, his eyes flitting down to Louis’ lips and back up again. “You don’t know many things about me Tomlinson.”

Louis laughed breathily, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. He handed over a Jack that Sebastian had previously requested, puffy breaths of air exhaling out of his mouth and nose. Sebastian giggled quietly beside him, the cards on the table fluttering with their breaths.

At that moment, Zayn walked in warily, eyeing them from the corner of his eye. He went to the vending machine and slipped in a note, clicking the buttons. He waited for his drink while Louis and Sebastian sobered up. Sebastian lilted his head towards him, Louis rolling his eyes and shaking his head. He mouthed, “Ah,” and ducked his head low, understanding Louis and Zayn were not on speaking terms.

His blue Gatorade dropped. He grabbed it and turned around, twisting the cap open. He watched Louis and Sebastian exchange cards. The air in the room was stiff and quiet. He gulped, a drop of blue liquid glistening on the corner of his mouth. Usually Louis would thumb it off and lick it clean. But as it was, they were not friends as far as he was concerned.

“Did you tell him?” he asked, crossing his ankles over on each other.

Louis frowned behind his deck of cards. “No.”

“Do you want me to tell him for you?”

The line of Louis’ shoulders was stretched taut like a bowstring. He was obviously uncomfortable. Sebastian shifted in his seat, quiet. He had asked for a three but Louis was too busy burning a hole on the table.

Zayn reached out his hand to touch Sebastian’s shoulder but Louis smacked it away. Zayn turned to him, shocked. He pulled his hand back to his chest as if he was burned by a hot kettle. “No,” Louis said firmly. Zayn swallowed another mouthful of Gatorade and nodded, his polished shoes clicking away. Once he was gone, Louis sighed, his shoulders going limp from where he was standing upright, forced.

“What was all that about?” Sebastian asked, curious.

“Nothing,” Louis sharply said. Softer, he added, “Do you have any two’s?”

Sebastian didn’t tell him that it wasn’t his turn yet. Instead, he shook his head and quietly murmured, “Goldfish,” watching Louis as he grabbed a card from the deck. He didn’t want to intrude so he stayed quiet, continuing their little game in silence. Whatever was happening between Louis and Zayn was just that, between Louis and Zayn.

. . .

“This is fucking incredible,” Niall whispered.

It was fucking incredible, indeed. The vast parking lot was filled with booths, sparkling lights, games and stands of food. They even managed to get in a Ferris wheel this year. They roamed around, the chilly air doing nothing to stop frenzied smiles or teenagers to jump on rides or eat greasy food. Louis smiled to himself, remembering last year when he and Harry came together. They had matched by accident and the boys had teased them mercilessly. They spent the night eating cotton candy and stealing sweet kisses behind the car, their quiet smiles reserved for each other. They ate greasy crisps, won some stuffed toys for all of Louis’ sisters and took a picture in front of the sparkling lights. It was magical.

Louis felt a pang of sadness slicing his heart in half. There was going to be none of that tonight. He was going to enjoy himself, reminding himself that Harry was probably out exploring New York City and taking photograph after photograph. He reminded himself that he was a complete person with and without Harry. He was almost sure he divulged in a life before Harry came along.

Louis shoved his hands in his jean jacket, blowing air out of his chapped lips. Niall blew hot air while he rubbed his hands together. They walked to the stands of food and smelled in the scents of greasy, fat foods. Niall rubbed his stomach, laughing like a child in a toy store. Louis smiled and ruffled his hair.

A vibration buzzed in the air. Louis checked his phone but saw no new notifications. Niall hummed happily and grabbed his phone, thumbing through a new message. Louis busied himself poking at yellow toy ducks in a booth's pond while Niall replied back.

“Hey Liam texted me that he and Z are at the Ferris wheel. Wants me to come along.”

“Oh.” Louis nodded, hearing his heart drop on the pit of his stomach. “Alright.”

Niall walked over to the direction of the Ferris wheel. He turned around, frowning when he saw that Louis wasn’t following him.

“Aren’t you coming?”

“Hm?” Louis pretended he was fascinated with the ducks. “Oh. S’kay. Go ahead.” He hadn’t told Niall about the whole ‘I’m not talking to Zayn over a stupid promise’ situation because he didn’t wanna break the poor kid’s heart. It was like telling his son his daddies were divorcing.

“Suit yourself.” Niall flicked him a thumbs up and disappeared around a booth.

Louis sighed, bending down and scanning the row of soccer keychains in one of the booths. Maybe he could win one for Daisy. He was figuring out a tactic to win the game when a body collided against his, pushing him forwards.

“Oof,” he breathed out.

A hand steadied his waist. He whipped around, looking into vibrant green eyes and a sharp smile. He smiled when he realized it was just Sebastian. He frowned while still smiling. Sebastian was eating a whirl of pink cotton candy, sweet sugar melting in his hair. He picked it out and licked it off his fingers, Sebastian’s hot gaze trailing after him.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, dropping his hand.

Louis wiped his sticky fingers on his trousers. He shook himself out of the trance Sebastian pulled him in and gripped him in a one arm hug. Sebastian hugged him back tightly, his smile pressed to his hair. He smelled fruity, like oranges. Something warm unfurled in his lower belly at the familiar scent.

Louis was the first to pull back, his smile a little lopsided. Sebastian licked his lips, his lower lip dipping under his teeth. Louis flitted his gaze to his lips then back to his face again. Something about the way he did that made Louis want to come closer. Louis bit the inside of his cheek, willing himself to act under control.

“I feel funny,” he blurted out.

“Well.” Sebastian smiled happily. “Let’s get you your own colored cotton candy. Blue, perhaps?”

“Perhaps,” Louis said, a smile of his own blooming over his face. He walked beside Sebastian and they made their way to brightly colored cotton candies.

After they licked their clean fingers from sugary sweets, they challenged each other to play each and every single game. Whoever won would choose their own prize. Louis loved a good challenge. They laughed and fought and cheered and danced. At the last booth, Louis laughed so hard during one of Sebastian’s dorky dances that he missed his shot. Sebastian walked up to the booth and shot, the nail plucking away. Louis groaned while Sebastian smiled, earning his small prize.

“So,” Louis said when they were both breathless and tired. “Did you decide on your prize?”

“Yup.” Sebastian grinned, his smile devilish. “Oh, hey. That’s something.”

Louis followed his gaze to a kissing booth named _Kiss The Teacher_. He laughed as Susan, one of their older teachers in the staff, presented her cheek to a boy. He kissed her and everybody cooed, Susan giggling quietly to herself. Louis noticed she took the note from the boy, stuffing it in her pocket. Apparently the teacher in the kissing booth got to keep their winnings. It was all in good, harmless fun and no fluids were actually exchanged.

“Why don’t you go up next?” Sebastian nudged his shoulder. “I bet Susan is tired from all the kisses.”

“Pshh.” Louis snorted, waving his hand. “No, I can’t. I have a—“

Sebastian stared at him with his smiling lips, his eyebrow curved. Under the sparkling lights, he looked so young and carefree. Somehow, Louis couldn’t pull the words out of his mouth. They were having such a good time and Louis didn’t want to insinuate that Sebastian liked him or found him attractive. It was just degrading. He knew he would be proper mad if somebody told him they were taken as if he wanted to date them. They were friends, after all.

“Hey everybody.” Sebastian cupped his hands around his mouth, shouting aloud, “Who wants to volunteer Louis to the kissing booth?”

Several students around them stopped and looked at Louis. Slowly, they clapped loudly, some even going far as to whistling and cheering him on. Most of the girls chattered excitedly, whispering to themselves and pointing at Louis discreetly. He caught sight of one of his students applying bright red lipstick.

“Yeah.” Louis nodded. In a short burst of confidence he knew would soon disappear shortly after, he opened his arms, walking towards the booth. “Yeah. Why not?”

“Atta boy.” Sebastian clapped his hands, following him.

Susan patted his cheek lightly and climbed out of the booth, opening the door for him. He smiled politely at her, situating himself on the chair inside. Cheers grew louder, some of the teachers surrounding the booth and grinning at him. He blew air out of his lips, his whole body feeling jittery with nerves. He would have never done something like this if it wasn’t for Sebastian’s encouragement.

He glanced at him, Sebastian crossing his arms and smiling smug to himself. He flicked him a thumbs up for good measure, his lips pressed together for a serious nod. Louis laughed to himself and leaned closer to the booth. If he was going to do this, he was going to do this right.

A girl walked up to the booth, her hands folded behind her. She slipped in a note in the little box, her fingers trembling a little. Louis waggled his eyebrows at her, the girl breaking out into a bashful smile and cupping his cheek. Her lips pressed warm to his cheek, Louis’ insides melting like molted lava. She giggled and ran away, covering her face to her blushing cheeks.

Student after student, they filed in a respectful file as girls and boys alike stepped up to the booth, kissing Louis gently while others pressed raspberries to his flushed cheeks. Louis was overjoyed, falling off his chair and stifling laughter. Even some teachers started to line up, Susan applying bubblegum colored pink lipstick. Sebastian bent over and laughed, Louis laughing alongside with him.

Principal Krasinski stepped up to the booth next. Louis swallowed, looking up at him timidly. He slipped in almost five euros instead of the regular note. He cupped his cheeks and pressed his lips to his mouth firmly. The crowd enveloped in wild cheers and hoots. Principal Krasinski pulled back with shining, wet lips, his laughing mouth erupting into more cackles. “I was dared to do that but I won’t lie and say that I didn’t like it,” he laughed. Louis stared starry eyed at him.

Minutes later, his cheeks were painted in different shades of pinks and reds. He rubbed at his cheek, smiling exhaustedly. It seemed like the line never ended that he started to see repetitive faces. He rested his fist to his cheek, smiling sleepily. He perked up when Sebastian was the person up next.

“Hey. Is my shift over?” he asked happily.

“No. I’m here to redeem my prize.”

Before he could realize what was happening, Sebastian cupped his cheeks and leaned in. A swooping feeling made his stomach lurch. A dreading sensation. He widened his eyes and at the last moment, turned his head away, causing Sebastian’s lips to miss his mouth and land on his ear instead.

He pulled back, stunned. Sebastian stared at him confusedly, his lips still puckered up in an invisible kiss. Louis’ eyes adjusted to a person in front of him far away with slick raven hair and warm skin. Zayn. The air knocked out of him, Zayn shaking his head and walking away. He pulled Liam and Niall who had caught up with him and turned them around just in time to miss seeing the disaster.

“Oh no.” Louis felt the blood drain from his face, coloring him pale. “Fuck.”

He scrambled out of the booth and left Sebastian fish-mouthed after him. The few students in the line groaned. He hurried to catch up to Zayn, pushing people out of the way with half arsed apologies. He made out a quiff of black hair, running up and stopping a hand on his shoulder.

“Zayn! Zayn!”

He tugged him around, breathless. “Zayn what did you see?” he asked, frantic.

“I saw more than enough.”

“Zayn, you got to believe me. He didn’t kiss me! It was a kissing booth and I turned my head, I swear, I would never do that to Harry!”

“Save your apologies for someone who deserves them,” Zayn spat in his face. “Harry deserves better.”

“I swear to you, I would never cheat! You of all people know that. I don’t cheat. I’m the one who gets cheated on.”

Niall appeared over his shoulder, his smile broad. “Hey. I was looking everywhere for you.”

“Don’t talk to him Ni,” Zayn snarled. “We’re going back home. Don’t expect for us to talk to you until you fix this.”

“Zayn,” Louis pleaded. He was surrounded by teenagers and teachers and greasy food and games and booths and he couldn’t find it in himself to give a fuck about his pride. “ _Please_.”

“No,” he said resolutely. He tugged Niall’s and Liam’s elbows away from Louis, Liam glancing worried looks over his shoulder.

Louis gasped. He clutched his chest where he swore his heart was failing. He didn’t have Harry with him and now he lost his best friend, along with Liam and Niall. He held back his tears and carded his fingers through his hair. He was _not_ going to cry now.

He shrugged past sweaty people until he got to his car. He climbed in and locked the doors, slamming his head on the steering wheel, his hands clenched tightly in his jacket. He sobbed quietly, the sounds of lonely crickets chirping keeping him company. In a moment of desperation, he dialed Harry’s number he memorized and tapped his fingers on his thigh. When the first call didn’t pick up, he dialed again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

On his last attempt, it was on the final ring when Harry picked up. Louis half expected that he wasn’t going to pick up that he felt numb, his mouth frozen.

“Hello? Lou?”

Louis licked his dry lips. He shut his eyes and listened to the sound of Harry’s voice.

“Lou?” Harry tried again. “I know you’re there.”

Loud voices were heard from the other end of the line. Louis willed his breath to come out in even, shallow breaths. Harry mumbled something to someone, his hand probably covering the speaker, and moved to somewhere quiet. A door opened. Shut. Silence.

“What’s wrong, baby?”

At the nickname, Louis burst into tears. He was wrong. So wrong. He thought that he and Harry were off sync, not mirroring each other even after years of living together. But at the nickname and the worried question, he knew they were just fighting the distance and the heartache of missing somebody so desperately.

“Oh, Lou.”

Louis imagined Harry thumbing his cheeks dry, holding him close. It’s what he would do if he was here. He wiped his sleeve over his cheeks roughly, something he hadn’t done since he was eighteen.

“Nothing.” Louis bit his lip hard enough to break skin. “Just wanted to hear your voice.”

“This boring, old, dumb voice?” Harry asked in a southern accent.

Louis laughed through his bubbly tears, rubbing his nose. He settled back in his seat and exhaled a hot breath, his heartbeat resuming its steady rhythm.

“God, I miss you so much.”

“I miss you too.”

“What are you doing?” He picked at a loose thread on his jeans.

“Listening to your dumb voice.”

Louis laughed, the sound airy and light. He felt light headed from all the crying but he felt weightless, Harry’s voice in his ear a constant reassurance that he wasn’t alone.

“Touché.” He gripped the phone tighter, almost as if he was begging to bring Harry into the car with him. “Is that a party I hear, Styles?”

“That it is.” It wasn’t until then that Louis picked up on his unusually raspy voice. “I met these guys in my class. Funny as hell. They throw the best parties around campus.”

“Good to know you’re making friends.”

“What about you? Any new friends or are you still hanging out with the lads?”

Sebastian’s disappointed face and Zayn’s fuming face flashed across his closed eyelids, burning his vision. He gripped his forehead, a headache prickling his temples.

“Don’t wanna talk about that to be honest.”

“Oh, okay. Are you sure everything’s alright?”

“I’m sure. I missed the sound of your voice, that’s all.”

“Louis…You have no idea how hard it is to be away from you.”

“I do,” he said quietly. Hot tears rolled down his cheek.

“You don’t. You have absolutely no idea how hard it is to be away from _you_. Your sharp mouth, your mischievous eyes, your smile. God, I love your smile. Your wrists, so delicate and bruised from where I tied you up and you couldn’t touch yourself. You were so hot for me, babe. Mmm.”

Louis’ ears perked up on Harry’s slick, heavy voice. His bedroom voice. His cock twitched in his trousers, his cheeks flushed. He had forgotten how riled up Harry got when he was drunk. After they threw parties together, they were wrapped in each other until the early hours of the morning. Louis always came out of their bedroom with fresh hickeys, bruised hips and red bitten lips.

“I miss you so much…” he said breathlessly. He palmed himself through his trousers, his cock starting to harden at the sound of Harry’s deep voice. It spurred something familiar in him. “Your goddamn mouth, Styles. There’s not one part of me you won’t put in your mouth.”

“Mmhmm.”

“And your eyes. So green. The way you look at me sometimes, with the intensity of a thousand suns, gets me so hot. I get so hot for you. And you know it. You goddamn know how I’m attracted to you and you don’t stop until I’m crying and begging for more. I wish you were here so you can tie me up and have your way with me. You like that, huh? You like when I’m submissive ‘cause I’m so bossy in reality.”

“Yeah, so bossy,” Harry murmured.

Louis closed his eyes, the sound of Harry’s voice making everything feel blurry and unfocused. Something like arousal spiked up through his lower body, making his toes curl and fists clench. He squeezed a little too hard on his head, Louis whining in response.

“And you...And you’ll come in the classroom and throw things off my desk and push me on top of it…So demanding…And you wouldn’t even lock the door because…Because you like…” Louis started properly touching himself, slowing down his strokes even though his own body was begging for faster tugs. “You like the risk of getting caught—”

“Do you like the risk of getting caught?”

“I do,” Louis answered, his cheeks flushed at the honesty of his words. “I didn’t before but ever since I met you...” He breathed in sharply, his fist clicking with every upstroke. “I like it now.”

“Mmm,” Harry moaned. “What happened next?”

“I was just taking it all. You were in control the whole time.”

“You were totally digging it.”

“I was.” Louis giggled even though precome was blurting through the slit, his hand wet. “I loved everything because I was doing it with _you_.”

“Keep going.”

“And then you gave me a slap across the arse because I had resisted. I wanted to touch you,” he moaned softly, Harry grunting along with him, “You didn’t let me. I was so hot and so goddamn gone for you but then...”

“Yeah?”

“Um.” Louis squeezed around the base of his cock, willing his body not to come too soon. He wanted to hear Harry first. “Then the principal came and since you didn’t lock the door he caught us.”

Harry moaned loudly over the phone. Louis’ eyelids burned with the vision of Harry’s tiny briefs caught around his ankles, biting into his fist because he didn’t want anybody to hear him. Or maybe moaning unabashedly because he _wanted_ people to hear him. Louis remembered that he was at a party and he felt hot liquid ooze in his lower belly, beads of sweat trailing down the sides of his face.

“You’re so incredible. I'm unbelievably hard just now. Keep going, babe.”

Louis groaned and picked up the rhythm of his slick strokes, furrowing his brows.

“You were covering me with your body ‘cause you didn’t want him to see me. To see what’s yours. He caught a lovely view of your arse though, you filthy thing.”

A strangled sound was static over the phone. Louis sighed, his eyes clenched tight and his strokes even tighter.

“You liked that?” Harry asked, his voice strained. “You liked that I covered you?”

“Yeah, I did, which usually I don’t, cause you’re a jealous bastard but—But it had me coming.” Louis arched his back off the seat, his other hand pulling the lever so the seat could lean back. The new angle made his legs spread out openly, his hand speeding on his cock. “And you...You licked me up in front of the principal looking at him while I was looking at you—”

Harry mumbled, “Fuck, Lou—”

“—And then he suspended me for having sex in the classroom.”

“Louis—”

“And I had to come every day after class to clean the room as my punishment but we only used it to our advantage to have sex there—”

“Louis,” Harry moaned louder, the lovely sound ringing in Louis’ ears.

“And you fucking—You had the idea of having sex in the principal’s office and then—” Louis' mouth stuck open, his hand working incredibly fast over his own cock. His words gasped aloud, his voice needy and breathless, saliva pooling in his mouth because he hadn’t swallowed in a while. “You grabbed the ruler and kept smacking me across my arse until my cheeks were red and flushed. You even rimmed me for what felt like hours, bending me over wickedly on his desk. I don’t know what happens next because I’m getting dizzy just thinking about it and I wish you were here so we could practice it. Fuck, I…I miss you so much, I know I should try harder. I want you here baby, I just keep thinking of all the parts of your body that I miss, that I wanna touch but I can’t. I fucking wanna—“

Harry grunted and moaned, “Fuck, I’m gonna come,” before he shouted loud and weak in the phone, his breaths scattered and uneven in the background. Everything went quiet, just the sounds of Harry’s breaths resuming their usual deep rhythm. “Jesus Christ, Louis,” Harry whispered, the words loud in the sex heavy air. He gasped for a few moments, Louis trying to catch his own breath as he thrust into his fist. “I fucking love you.”

Louis moaned brokenly and bit the sensitive flesh of his underarm, the lower half of his body lifted in the air and spurts of hot white shooting out of his leaking cock. He jerked through his orgasm, flickers of light washing in his dark eyelids.

“Yeah baby, that’s it,” Harry's voice encouraged, Louis' stomach ballooning in and out while he rode through his intense orgasm. The last of his come slid down his cock, his hand sticky and wet. Harry’s slow voice continued while his legs trembled and his chest rose up and down shallowly. “Fuck yes, Louis. That’s it. You did so good, love.”

“Fucking hell,” Louis groaned quietly in the thick air, wiping his hand on his trousers. He inspected his skin where he bit into it, the flesh raw and red. “I came so hard.”

He tucked his softening cock back in his boxers, come drying on the cotton and his inner thigh. He regained his breath while he listened to the sounds of Harry’s own breaths, his body loose and pliant laid out on the seat.

Louis palmed his face with his clean hand, the realization striking him like a lit match. “Oh, god,” he rubbed his cheek, his face flushing red. “I can’t believe what got me to come was you telling me you love me.”

Harry giggled, Louis giggling alongside with him. The whole situation was ridiculous. Sebastian almost kissing him, Zayn getting angry at him, Louis locking himself in the car, Harry moaning in his ear like he was actually here, Louis coming into his trousers at the sound of four lucky words.

Louis smiled in the darkness, Harry’ giggles softening. He wanted to kiss his boy until his lips were numb. He rubbed his sticky palm on his dark trousers. The sound of someone opening the door and yelling was heard in the distant background, Harry palming the speaker and shouting something in return.

“Shit, sorry. I forgot we weren’t alone.”

“Isn’t that weird?” Louis rested his arm on the back of his head, fingering his tousled locks. “I always feel like it’s just the two of us when we’re together. Everybody sort of just…disappears.”

“Me too.” He could feel Harry’s smile pressed into the phone. “You and me against the world.”

“Always,” Louis answered, a blush creeping on his cheeks.

He wanted to tuck Harry’s voice in his pocket and take it out like his secret treasure whenever he was sad or missed the sound of his voice. His happiness soon dissipated into something like longing, Louis’ throat burning with ache. He missed him so dearly. Four years was a long time.

“Fuck.” Louis rubbed his eyes, the after effects of sex weighing him down with sleep. Sebastian’s face flickered across his closed eyelids like a constant memory. A memory he wanted to forget. “I called you to tell you something.”

“Yeah? What is it?”

Yet, Louis couldn’t do it. Why bother telling Harry if it was just going to make them fight? He especially didn’t want to bring up the topic after their lovely phone conversation, filled with moans and grunts and whispers in the dark. He swallowed down the words and settled for something easier.

“I’m never gonna stop loving you.”

It felt like a promise.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis held him in a bone-crushing hug. He held on to him as if he was going to lose him forever and time was running away. He supposed it was true. Harry was leaving to university two hours away. Louis was going to stay and continue teaching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title comes from the song Sweet Annie by Zac Brown Band. Disclaimer: This is a work of complete fiction. None of this is real, nor did it happen.
> 
> I think I'm going to make every chapter reach 4k words! I'm so happy with the way this turned out. You get a little bit more of Larry action and my heart soars with happiness. You all came for Larry and not for Souis, right? Right? Let me know in the comments down below!

It turned out that a little fun over the phone was all Louis and Harry needed to get over their funk. Over the past couple of months, they FaceTimed each other constantly and once, they even had FaceTime sex, resulting in Louis spilling all over the screen and Harry cackling uproariously. It was beautiful. Now, they were stronger than ever.

Zayn and Louis were still not talking, but that was okay. He spent all day talking to Sebastian and all night talking to Harry. It was great. Things were for once falling into place and Louis was more than grateful. He had spent countless nights talking to Harry over the phone until ungodly hours of the morning that it started to show in his work performance. He would come in late and tired, with dark circles under his eyes and wearing his trousers from the day before. Harry wasn’t off better, he confessed he had missed his early course exam because he was too tired to get up. They eased off on the calling and texted each other instead, Louis sending him stupid texts and Harry replying with laughing Emojis and lots of LOL’s. Louis just thought it was cute.

It was one of those days, where their promise of vowing to FaceTime for one or two hours was broken and they ended up on video chat until three in the morning. Louis woke up at seven am with his hot phone plastered to his cheek, saliva pooling on his arm. He groaned and dragged himself to a hot shower to wake him up. He was running late so he didn’t bother to make himself his usual cup of tea and sped to school, his white button up wrinkled. He smoothed his hands over his hair and took a deep breath before jogging up the steps to the school and rushing into his classroom.

He was five minutes late. Louis inwardly groaned and opened up the door to his classroom, a harried smile on his face. He stood still when Zayn was sitting in his chair, his mouth propped open as if he finished speaking. He clamped it shut and nodded at the students, dog earing the page in _Wuthering Heights._

“Off I go then.” He pressed his lips to Louis and shrugged past him.

Despite everything, Zayn still looked after him. Louis felt his heart ache for his old friend. Instead of calling out his name and thanking him, he closed the door behind him and sat down. He thumbed the page where Zayn left off and continued reading.

Louis cleared his throat, announcing in his best commentator voice, “He entered, vociferating oaths dreadful to hear; and caught me in the act of stowing his son away in the kitchen cupboard.”

They finished the chapter, Louis voicing aloud to write a summer analysis over the bell ringing. The students picked up their books and backpacks while Louis finally took a breath, rolling his neck. The last of his lingering students left, leaving him to a quiet room. He opened up his planner and wrote _remember to thank Zayn_ and closed it shut. At that moment, Sebastian walked in with two cups of tea.

“Hey,” he said, voice unusually quiet. He handed the tea over. “I made you some tea.”

Louis murmured, “Thanks,” and swallowed a mouthful, the hot liquid burning his tongue. He grimaced and set it on top of some rustled papers.

He pressed his fist to his temple, cautiously looking at Sebastian while he sat on top of a desk, cradling his tea like fine china. He sipped, scrunching his face and placing it aside. Louis circled his finger around the porcelain rim, not knowing how to express everything into a few, simple words. It wasn’t like him to be speechless around Sebastian. Months after Sebastian avoided Louis like the plague, he was sitting in front of him like an awkward kiss never happened.

“I’m sorry about that night.” Louis sneered, remembering how disappointed Sebastian looked when he rejected him. “I never apologized. I feel guilty about the whole thing. Honest, I didn’t realize—“

“It’s okay.” Sebastian interrupted him. “You don’t have to apologize. It’s not your fault.”

“No, but it is.” Louis rounded the table and stood in front of him, clasping his hands together. “I didn’t know you felt that way about me. I just thought we were good friends.” He loosened his tie, feeling the air around them too tight, too dense. “It’s been a long time that somebody hit on me so openly like that.”

“That has to be a lie.” Sebastian clicked his tongue, shaking his head fondly. A smile slowly started to curve his lips. “I mean look at you. You’re so…God, I have to stop making a fool out of myself when I’m with you.”

Louis smiled along with him, his eyebrows furrowed together. He couldn’t deny Sebastian was attractive with his green eyes and pillowed hair. He thought it was endearing that he was flustered around him. Although, something about the way they so easily clicked made Louis feel all funny. Wrong.

“I have to stop being a fool around you.” Louis waved his hand between them. “You just…remind me of someone. So much. It’s crazy. I think it’s ‘cause like, we click, just like me and him, you know? I guess I’m just using you as a replacement while he’s gone.”

Sebastian narrowed his eyes, his smile stopped growing. He made a funny face, opening his mouth to interject or question him about this mystery person when Louis’ phone rang obnoxiously. Perfect timing. Louis’ face broke out into a sunny smile, thumbing behind himself and picking up the phone eagerly.

“Sorry. I think that’s him.” He smiled wider at the name on his phone, swiping right. “That’s crazy. He never calls me at work.”

Louis brought the phone to his cheek, his smile pinching. It was perfect timing, actually. He had a free period after his first and at the end of the day. His schedule was fantastic this year. Usually he was happy to spend his free periods chatting away with Sebastian but he was happier to accept a phone call from his boyfriend even more.

“Hey love.”

Sebastian clenched his grip on the cup of tea subconsciously. He watched the conversation unfold from his seat, seeing Louis beam happier than he ever had with him. Something like jealousy burned bright red in his lower belly, his mouth twisting downwards.

“Hey, Lou. I actually snuck out of class to call you.”

“Harry. Your class…”

“It’s okay. She’s going over the work from yesterday, nothing I’m gonna miss anyway.”

Sebastian watched the exchange with narrowed eyes. He forgot how thrilling it was to have Louis’ undivided attention on him. Especially when Louis was smiling at him, talking to him, and bantering with him. Was the mystery man over the phone a lover? A boyfriend? His husband? Or, simply just a friend?

After a few minutes, Louis hung up with a murmured, “Bye. Love you,” with his hand cupped around his phone. He smiled at his phone with laugh lines marked deep around his mouth. Sebastian wondered if the mystery man was the same one who put them there.

“Ah, sorry about that.” Louis ran a hand through his fringe, his bicep flexing with the motion. “It was my…” He sighed, seeming hesitant. With confidence, he nodded, “S’my boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” Sebastian echoed. The word tasted bad in his mouth.

“Yeah.” Louis walked around the table and leaned against it, taking a long sip from his tea. It had probably run cold by now. “Sorry I never mentioned it, it just seemed like never the right time.”

“Right.” Sebastian nodded. He scrutinized his eyes, his insides doing somersaults. “You could’ve maybe, just, I dunno, said aloud ‘I have a boyfriend!’”

“Is…” Louis’ eyebrows pinched, his hand stilling on his cup of tea. “Is something wrong?”

“Yeah.” Sebastian stood up, stretching his long legs to get to the door. He opened it, his fingers lingering on the chipped wood. “Everything’s wrong. I’ll, uh, I’ll see you later.”

With that, he left and closed the door shut behind him, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. His mission to swoon Louis was in the ruins. He erased the image of Louis’ laughing face, his crinkled eyes, his delicate hands. He scolded himself for wondering about the taste of Louis’ mouth.

Louis stared at the shut door with shock. He shook himself out of it slowly. Maybe it was unfair for him to drop the bomb about his boyfriend on Sebastian like that. But he needed to be honest, lies were never his forte. He was an open book and it wasn’t rare that Louis boasted about Harry to strangers walking on the street. Sebastian, somehow, was an exception, with his loud smiles and his open heart.

Louis clenched his fist. He sighed and gripped the cup of tea, walking over to the teacher’s lounge. He stopped when he saw Zayn fixing himself a mug of coffee. He must have gotten in barely. He coughed quietly as his greeting, Zayn looking for the sound with raised eyebrows. Once he saw it was Louis, his eyes sagged, turning his back on him. Louis mouthed, “Okay,” brushing past him and dumping the cold tea in the sink.

It was quiet for the exception of the coffee machine bubbling with fresh brewed hot liquid. Zayn swirled a spoonful of sugar around, Louis leaning against the countertop. He propped himself on top, swinging his legs. He palmed his thighs, his hands now clammy with sweat. He was nervous.

“Zayn,” he said, like a statement. Zayn looked up at him, his hazelnut eyes inquiring. “I’m sorry,” Louis exhaled. “About everything. About not telling Seb, about being a shit friend, about not explaining what happened that night at the October fest.”

“So explain then.” Zayn crossed his arms, his coffee momentarily forgotten.

“He was the one who actually encouraged me to do it. Volunteer to be in the kissing booth, I mean. All was well until he stepped up. I thought he was gonna tell me my shift was over but I didn’t realize his true intentions until he leaned in. And I turned away, of course I turned away. You were right about everything. Seb…Me.”

Zayn nodded along to his words, taking a thoughtful sip. His hair was swooped in his usual quiff, slicked back with too much gel. He looked tired, though. They were deep, purple bags set under his eyes and a rough stubble painted on his chin and cheeks. He looked worn out. Louis wondered if he was the one who caused that.

“I think I figured it out. The whole attraction thing with the green eyes and the red lips. He reminds me so much of Harry, Zayn. He laughs at all my old jokes and we get on really well. But he’s not Harry. He doesn’t have the same loud laugh or the same bright smile. He’s just a mirage.”

Zayn exhaled a suffering sigh. He swallowed, setting the mug down. With his hands shoved in his pockets, he stared at Louis, trying to figure him out. Louis squirmed under his rapt gaze. Finally, finally, he pressed his lips tight, shaking his head.

“Lou, everybody laughs at your jokes.” He shook his head, spitting out a dry laugh. “To be fair, everyone who meets you falls in love with you immediately. You’re so…fun to be around with. Hell, I had a crush on you the first day I met you.”

Louis laughed, feeling relieved and a little bit breathless. He was glad they were talking now, even if they weren’t exactly friends entirely. Zayn continued, his bow shaped lips opening and closing on words of sweet relief.

“And for the record, I’m sorry too. I didn’t mean to jump on you like that. I guess, I was looking out for Harry. I should have been looking out for you.”

Louis gripped the edges of the countertop. He knew what Zayn meant. Who knew what Harry was doing in New York City with no boyfriend or close friends to watch after him? He was devilishly handsome and endearing. Who wouldn’t want to snag a hot piece of that?

“So…” Louis jumped down from the countertop, extending out a hand. “Are we okay now?”

“Yeah.” Zayn smiled, his whole face lighting up like the sun. He didn’t look so tired anymore. “Yeah, we’re good.”

They clapped hands, Zayn tugging him in a tight hug. Louis breathed him in, his familiar scent of faded cigarette smoke and expensive hair products. He held on to him close. He almost lost him, his ex-lover but most importantly, his best friend. With the way Zayn nuzzled his face in his neck and fisted his shirt, he guessed Zayn missed him too.

“And I won’t bother you about Sebastian anymore,” Zayn murmured in his hair. “What you do with your relationship doesn’t concern me.”

“Actually.” Louis pulled him back to peer into his eyes. “I told him today. I figured our friendship was more important.”

Zayn stared at him silently. He hugged him tighter if that was even possible, gripping his neck. “You old sap.” He breathed him in, Louis’ arms winding around him on instinct. “Fuck, you smell so good.”

Louis giggled and pawed him away. He was glad to have his old friend back. Apparently he couldn’t have both Sebastian and Zayn at the same time, but having Zayn back in his life was a thousand times better. He and Sebastian could remain as acquaintances and that would be just fine with him.

“Alright, alright.” Louis pulled away and grabbed a kettle, filling it with water and turning up the heat on the stove. “I need more tea if I’m going to make it through my next period.”

“Ah.” Zayn swirled a spoon around his mug of coffee. He swallowed, his lips pressed on the rim to mumble, “The delicacy of having a free next period.”

“Fuck. Did you sleep with the principal to have the perfect schedule?”

Zayn’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “I might have.”

Louis laughed the hardest he has ever laughed in a while. He gripped his stomach, his laughter coming out in light, airy bubbles. Zayn’s fingers slipped under his shirt unexpectedly, wiggling in his most ticklish spot. “Zayn! Zayn!” Louis pleaded, tears brimming the corners of his eyes. Everything was right in the world again.

. . .

Louis might not be stupid and eighteen anymore, but he was still a sucker for grand romantic gestures. He wanted to surprise Harry with a visit. Jumping in his car with an overnight bag, he drove to the heart of New York City. On the way over, he stopped at a flower shop and picked up Harry’s favorite, white lilies. Something about that they symbolized humility and devotion was the reason why Harry liked them so much. After a Google search, Louis also discovered that they symbolized the soul of the departed has received restored innocence after death. He didn’t know what all that meant, but his definition for it was that he was going to love Harry until death due them apart. He was confident that they would still be together in the afterlife. They were soulmates after all.

Louis drove around the city, passing by the infamous Times Square and tall buildings. He ducked his head low and watched colors of light burst in the large television screens. The traffic was long and tiring, but Louis turned on his playlist and head banged to some rocky tunes. It was nearing afternoon when he arrived at Pratt Institute. The red brick buildings were large and old timey, surrounded by trees with fallen orange and yellow leaves. Louis had to admit the campus was beautiful.

He parked, hoping they wouldn’t ticket him for not having a student pass, and stepped out into the lowering sunshine. Leaves crunched under his feet, his hands shoved in his pockets. He nodded at a few teenagers and roamed around the campus, walking to where the wind was headed. He realized that he never asked Harry if he was staying at the freshmen dorms or if he was renting a studio apartment. He figured he was staying at the dorms since he didn’t have a car to drive to and from school.

He made his way to the dorms, not knowing whether to go left or right. He decided on right and started walking to the similar red brick buildings as the university itself. He pulled out his phone and started to formulate a text message to _Haz._

_Hey, by any chance, where do u live?_

**You* I’m staying at the dorms. Why?**

_Just wonderin and I meant what number xx_

**Wondering* Building 3, number 10**

_Christ’s harry youre not the grammar police. Wee ooh wee ooh_

**Harry* You’re* I can do this all day. Ooh, are you sending me love letters?**

_You’ve changed…and no, but dammit, I should have_

**I love you xx**

Louis snorted at his last message and pocketed his phone. He counted the buildings and walked up to the third one. He felt a little nervous now that he was here. He was so concentrated on coming here and wooing Harry that he didn’t feel the nerves bubbling inside of him until now. It was a good kind of feeling though. Like how he first felt when he was eighteen and already stupidly in love and picking up Harry for their first date.

He clutched the white lilies behind his back at the same time a person came outside. Louis stopped breathing. It was Harry. He was dressed in an oversized Pratt jumper, the sleeves covering his hands. His jeans were so tight they looked like they were painted on. But the thing that made Louis still was his hair. It had grown longer. When he left for university, his hair would curl around his ear, the curls still springy. Now they brushed past his shoulders, his hair tousled into tumbling waves. He was gorgeous.

“Harry.”

Harry looked up from his phone, probably waiting for Louis’ next text message, and looked up. He opened his mouth, at a loss for words. Louis understood him, he was equally rendered speechless. It took a few seconds for Harry’s face to envelop into a smile, his cheeks flushing. “Lou,” he whispered. He laughed and ran to Louis, gripping him in a bone crushing hug.

Louis staggered backwards with his sudden weight. He wrapped his arms around him, butterflying his legs around his waist as Harry spun them around and around. He felt dizzy with love. If he didn’t portray it in one way or another, his soul was going to burst with affection. He laughed in his ear as Harry kept spinning him, the petals of the lilies falling all around them.

“Oh my god,” Harry gasped. “What are you doing here?”

He set him on the ground carefully, Louis swaying sideways. Harry gripped his waist to steady him. His boy was always his anchor. Without answering his question, Louis cupped his cheeks and pressed a kiss to his surprised lips. Harry hummed happily, closing his eyes and reveling in the taste of Louis’ mouth. God, it had been too long.

Louis sucked his top lip into his mouth, moaning and tugging on his hair. Harry gasped into his mouth, letting Louis lick inside. They shared wet sucks in the quiet afternoon under the orange sky. It was perfect. Louis kissed and tasted and touched. He tilted his head and deepened their kiss, their tongues massaging against each other in perfect, wet swirls. Harry’s lips molded so perfectly to his, so open and ready to give back just as much as Louis was. Louis pulled back with a wet pop, Harry’s lips already swollen. He thumbed spit off his lower lip, smiling a little.

Harry laughed again and hugged him to his chest. Louis kind of wanted to cry. It was half a year but Louis still remembered his fruity scent, his girlish shampoo, his tender touch. It was emblazed in his memory. How could he forget his boy that spread happiness into strangers’ lives? How could he forget his boy with a heart made out of gold?

They kissed again but were too happy to taste each other, just their smiling lips pressed against each other. Louis was so happy that he almost forgot about the lilies. He thumbed his dimple and revealed the white lilies, Harry’s bottom lip popping out of his mouth in a surprised, “Oh.”

“These are for you.” He rubbed his cheek with his thumb. “For my beautiful, beautiful boy.”

Harry smiled again. He smelled them, his eyes fluttering closed. He held them to his chest and pecked Louis on the lips as a silent thank you. He gripped his hand in his, thumbing the soft skin there.

“I’m so happy you’re here.” Harry’s shining lips curved wider, his eyes lighting up. “Oh! You have to come in. My room is all set up like home.”

Louis hummed and followed his lead, holding hands tightly. He wanted to tell him that he was gripping his hand so tightly he was cutting off his circulation, his hand colored white. But he saw Harry’s smiling face and decided against it. He was happy. That’s all that mattered.

They walked into Harry’s dorm. Like Harry said, his dorm _was_ similar to his bedroom back home. But it wasn’t home, how could it be, when it didn’t hold the memories of bitten lips and gentle touches. Louis walked around inspecting the small place while Harry placed the lilies in a vase filled with water. He walked over to his desk and picked up a framed picture, thumbing over Harry’s laughing face. It was an old picture of them, Louis had his head thrown back laughing while Harry was smiling at something on the ground, bundled up in a jumper and cozy scarf. Louis smiled fondly, remembering that same night when they sipped hot chocolate and he tasted sugar off of Harry’s lips near the fire.

Arms wrapped around his waist, Harry’s chin resting on his shoulder comfortably. “I love that picture,” Harry mumbled quietly. Louis picked up another framed picture except this one was all five of them, the camera zoned in on Louis and Harry. Louis’ hand pressed firmly on his waist while Harry’s hand rested on his shoulder. He picked up a more recent photograph, Harry’s scrunched face nuzzled in his neck with his arms wrapped tightly around him. He read the words carved on the frame reading, _Home Is Where The Heart Is._

“You look so happy here,” Louis commented, his voice soft.

Harry hugged him tighter, kissing his warm skin. “I am whenever I’m with you.”

Louis turned around in his arms and kissed him firmly. Whereas their first kiss was frantic and hot, this one was more calm and deep. He cradled Harry’s face in his palm, the tips of his fingers scratching the base of his neck. Harry moaned at the light pressure, allowing for Louis to slick his tongue inside. The room was filled with wet slurps, their kisses easy and rhythmic. At Harry’s next moan, Louis grew more frantic and pressed insistent kisses to his bitten lips.

Harry’s hand went from holding his waist to crawling up his skin under his shirt. His skin was burning hot, his palms rubbing over his nipples. Louis was so busy on kissing him intently that he didn’t notice Harry’s other hand was unbuttoning his trousers.

“Mmm.” Louis hummed. He pulled away with wet lips, looking down where Harry was palming him through his clothes. “Are you sure?”

Harry’s lip was tucked between his teeth. He released it, shiny with saliva. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I dunno,” Louis said dumbly. He respected Harry more than anything and he didn’t want to rush him into something he thought Louis wanted. He was perfectly content on cuddling and snogging all night.

“I don’t wanna rush you. I didn’t come here expecting to get laid.”

“Don’t be silly,” Harry murmured, kissing his cheeks. “I want this. Want you.”

Despite, Louis’ comment, he started to harden under Harry’s rubbing palm. Harry pulled away when Louis wasn’t kissing him or touching him anymore. His eyebrows lifted, his lips pursed open. It was rare when Louis refused to have sex. In fact, it was so rare because he _never_ rejected Harry in bed.

“I…” Harry swallowed, confused. “Unless you don’t want me? We can always watch a movie. Sorry, I just assumed since it’s been a long time and...”

Louis shushed him with his mouth. “I want this. Believe me. I want you so much.”

“Good.” Color flushed to Harry’s cheeks. He smiled, coy. “I…um…I want this too.”

Louis bit his lip and pushed him towards the bed. Harry fell on the mattress, his bum bouncing twice. Louis laughed as he crawled up his body, kissing every bit of skin his lips could find. He was going to make up for lost time.

Harry laughed when Louis sucked in his earlobe, his hand caught under his shirt and rubbing over his hard nipples. He shifted under his weight, exhaling out of his nose and looking up at the ceiling. Louis’ sucks stopped, peering at him under his long, long eyelashes. Louis was so pretty.

“Something funny?” Louis asked, his eyes twinkling with mirth.

“No, nothing.” Harry giggled again, the sound bubbly. He cradled Louis’ face in his hands and leaned in to kiss him. Louis pulled away at the last second, causing Harry to pucker up his lips in an invisible kiss.

Louis laughed loudly. Harry growled and flipped them around in a swift movement. Louis was both impressed and turned on. He kissed him deep and warm, wasting no time in rucking his shirt up and skimming his lips past his chest, his nipples, his stomach, until he reached his navel. He breathed him in, lathing his tongue over the barely hair there. Louis grunted and pushed up his stomach, Harry’s chin pressing on his groin.

Harry pulled down his trousers and briefs in one go, his smiling lips mischievous. Louis groaned at the sight of him, his flushed cheeks, his green eyes, his slick lips. He was unbelievable.

He licked his lips and sucked on his head without warning, Louis bucking up his lips and a strangled moan escaping past his lips. “Jesus fucking Christ,” he exhaled, his body relaxing as Harry took him in deeper.

Harry bobbed his head up and down, spit running down the sides of his cock. He spit on his head, grabbing him in his fist and jerking him off in rapid tugs. Louis felt his stomach swoop, like falling off of a cliff and headed into rushing waters. Harry’s lips touched his wet head on every upstroke, his smiling lips opening and sucking him in messily.

His lips popped off wetly. He thumbed precome off the corner of his lips. Without breaking eye contact he clearly said, “Let me show you how much I missed you,” so Louis wouldn’t miss a word as they fell from his lips. He grinned smugly and swallowed him whole.

Louis fell into a heat of lust and Harry.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis held him in a bone-crushing hug. He held on to him as if he was going to lose him forever and time was running away. He supposed it was true. Harry was leaving to university two hours away. Louis was going to stay and continue teaching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title comes from the song Sweet Annie by Zac Brown Band. Disclaimer: This is a work of complete fiction. None of this is real, nor did it happen.
> 
> Just under 4k words! This one contains brief smut but I like to think that it's more fluffy than anything else. This chapter is full of Larry so eat your hearts out!!! Comment if you want me to continue this short fic, if I do, it will be four or five more chapters until the epilogue! Yay!

Louis woke up slowly, his eyelids still heavy with sleep. He licked his lips, tasting salty skin. _Harry_. He fluttered his eyes open, his face pressed into his armpit. He smelled particularly strong there of sweat and clean skin. He rubbed his fists over his eyes and lifted himself up. He ran a hand through his spiky, disheveled hair.

He looked down at Harry sleeping. His arm was over his face like he was covering his smile. His pretty pink lips were open, breaths of air snuffling out. His face was slackened without worry or stress, just at peace. Louis wanted to watch him sleep forever. He wanted to sleep beside him forever, or startle awake with Harry lying in bed next to him forever. He simply wanted a forever with him. He wanted to kiss him, rumple his hair, rest his fingertips on his hipbone warm and smooth, or wake him up with his mouth.

He cupped his face and leaned in, morning breath be damned, and pressed his mouth firmly to his. Harry stirred in his sleep, fussing and breathing heavily through his nose. He muffled a weak sound and hummed awake, his lips pursuing as if on instinct. He sighed into his mouth and gripped Louis’ neck closer. Louis knew they were forever.

He slid his leg in between his thighs, Harry opening so easily for him. Slowly but surely, he started to thrust weakly into him, rotating his hips. Harry gasped, Louis kissing his mouth and moving to his neck, leaving kisses in his wake. He nibbled his skin, Harry’s groans shooting straight to his cock, twitching in interest. He lathed his tongue over a fresh bruise, blooming bright in contrast to his pale skin.

Louis took time in discovering Harry’s body again. He memorized every dip and every curve so that it burned at the back of his eyelids. He knew it would be another six months until he would visit again so he memorized every little detail, from his straight eyebrows to the dimples on his back.

He was still sore from last night but he knew he didn’t need any more prepping. He slid his hand in Harry’s tiny briefs, palming his warm skin. Harry groaned and pushed into his fist, his cock growing to its full size. Louis took him in his hand properly and started jerking him slowly at the same speed of Harry’s breaths. He kissed across his collarbones and slid Harry’s briefs off with his other hand. He pulled back to straddle him, lifting up his shirt and throwing it somewhere on the floor. He peeled off his boxers too, his bum resting on Harry’s groin comfortably.

Harry’s face scrunched in pain, his fists clenching on the sheets. Louis shushed him with a kiss and bent over to grab lube. He squeezed a dollop and rubbed it between his fingers to warm it up, his other hand stroking Harry’s hard length. Louis arched his back and pressed in a finger slowly, getting used to the stretch. His face pinched in discomfort, his arse still sore from last night. Harry watched him with heavy eyelids, licking his mouth and breathing heavily. Louis curled his finger and slipped in another, eliciting a broken moan.

Harry rubbed his thumbs on his hipbones, trying to distract him. Louis started pushing on his fingers, the pain slowly subsiding into blooming pleasure. It spread outwards, making his toes curl and water race down his eyelids. When he deemed he was ready, he pulled out his fingers and gripped Harry’s cock. Harry watched him intently, his eyes darkened with lust. Louis kissed him openly as Harry pushed inside of him unbearably slow, Louis squeezing his eyes shut.

After a few calming breaths, he nodded at Harry to move, Harry biting on his lip and slowly pushing inside him. His grip on his hipbones was so tight it would leave bruises by tomorrow. Louis guessed it was payback for the red angry marks he left on his back. Butterflies spilled in his stomach, fluttering up and up and up, Louis resting his hands on Harry’s shoulders and rocking back and forth. Everything felt more intimate in the morning.

They were at it for a few minutes. The sounds of Harry’s gasps and Louis’ moans broke out into the sex heavy air. Louis was rocking on his cock like an expert cowboy, but then he bounced and hit it right there, that perfect spot, and it had him moaning like a pornstar. Harry took the matter in his own hands and thrust into him at the same time Louis pushed down. His mouth fell open, stuttering out strangled breaths. Harry was equally strained, mouth stuck open on, “Ah, ah, ah.” He scrunched up his face as he kept pushing deep and hard into Louis. In one particular thrust, Louis fell forward, gripping his shoulders and his nails digging into his skin.

“Fuck, fucking—Yeah, that’s it!” His voice broke into a long moan, ringing out, “Yeah, baby, fucking make me come like that. Ugh, yeah!”

“You have a filthy mouth,” Harry stuttered, his own voice guttural. He tugged on Louis’ hair and licked a fat, broad stripe up his neck, tasting his salty skin. “You look so fucking gorgeous, oh my god. Oh yeah! Baby, come for me.”

Harry’s balls slapped loudly against Louis’ arse. The sweet sounds of skin slapping against skin was heard, Louis’ cock rubbing between their stomachs. Harry slipped his hand between their bodies and gripped the base of his cock, thumbing over his salty slit. Louis shuddered and combed his hands through Harry’s sweaty locks. They were both attuned to each other, the way their bodies reacted, where they moaned the loudest and were the hardest.

Harry gripped his hips where he felt Louis was getting tired and thrust into him in quick, deep pushes and pulls. Louis whined, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. Harry kissed his flushed cheeks, clenching his eyes where sweat was stinging. His torso was flushed and dappled with sweat, his trimmed hair darkened with sweat as well.

“I’m gonna fucking come,” Louis shouted. He gasped in Harry’s neck and bit him harshly, Harry yelping in response. “Fucking, oh my fucking god. Uh, uh, uh. Yeah, Har, just like that.”

“Mmmh.” Harry hummed, furrowing his eyebrows in concentration. “You feel so fucking good, Lou.”

Fucking Louis was an art form, his back arched beautifully while his pretty moans parted his lips. Harry wanted to make him feel good. Wrecking Louis apart was the most thrilling experience he ever endured.

On a soft moan, Harry sucked Louis’ lips tenderly, pressing into him deep. A moan was ripped out from Louis’ throat and he clenched impossibly tight around his cock. Ribbons of white come shot out to splatter over their chests. He was so tight around him that it bordered on pain, but pleasure overrode it and Harry soon followed after, spilling inside Louis’ tight body.

The remnants of come slid down his cock and onto his thighs. Sparks blew bright in his closed eyelids. Coming together felt like riding a high wave. An unbelievable experience that tremored in his spine. He felt the last waves of his orgasm dissolve into a good sensation all the way to the tips of his toes. His cock softened, sensitive, and he lifted Louis up to pull out. He scrunched his face, sliding off the condom carefully and discarding it in a trash bin under his bed. He was lucky that his roommate was out visiting his family for the weekend. He could have Louis for as long as he wanted which meant forever.

Louis rose up and down with Harry’s breathing. His long eyelashes fluttered awake, sleepy eyes focusing on the strong line of Harry’s nose. Harry kissed him, his lips barely brushing his. He thumbed his back with their legs tangled seamlessly in the sheets. Louis touched his lips with the barest of contact, leaning in and smiling in a close-lipped kiss. He was always soft after sex.

“D’you just want to cuddle?” Harry asked, swiping a bead of sweat off Louis’ curved eyebrow.

Louis hummed contently, closing his eyes after a beat. Harry ran his fingertips on his damp back, the pads of his fingers sliding on his slightly sweaty skin. He pressed a kiss to his forehead and willed his heartbeat to settle down. Sleep weighed down his body, fluttering his eyes closed. He fell asleep with his lips pressed to Louis’ temple.

In the afternoon, Harry woke up to the smell of eggs and sausage. He reached out a hand to his side, realizing the bed was empty. He opened one eye, noticing that the pillow was still warm. He rolled over on his side and sprawled like a starfish. Usually Louis hogged all the blankets during the night so Harry had to take advantage of the opportunity in the mornings. He fell asleep to the sounds of pots and pans clattering in the kitchen.

Hours later, Harry felt wiggling fingers on the sole of his foot. He scrunched his foot and tucked it under the duvet. He felt fingers prodding at his ribs, then at his armpits next. Considering the tickling wasn’t going to stop until he woke up, he groaned, opening his eyes to a sunny face smiling down at him.

“Morning sunshine,” Louis happily said. The skin beside his eyes crinkled, the color of his eyes a bright blue.

“Fuck.” Harry’s voice was groggy, still weighed heavy with sleep. He rubbed his eyes, his vision focusing in the darkness. “How long was I out for?”

“The whole day actually.” Louis trickled his fingers on his side like the pitter patter of rain, Harry scooting over to his side of the bed while the bed dipped, Louis sliding in. “I actually went grocery shopping today.”

Harry widened his eyes. “You?” He arched his eyebrows in surprise. “You hate shopping.”

“I don’t,” Louis laughed. He slid under the covers until he was cocooned in a fluffy cloud of blankets. “I only hate it when you force me to.”

“Ah,” Harry said quietly. He watched as Louis rolled onto his side, his cheek squished on the pillow. His eyes lit up, sitting up in bed and reaching over to grab a plate from the bedside table.

“I made you breakfast a while ago but you were still asleep. I didn’t wanna wake you up after all that hard work.” Louis winked at him. Color rose high on his cheeks despite having every body part in his mouth. His cheeks heated at Louis’ comment. “So I made you a fruit plate right now.”

Harry parted open his mouth in awe. He took the plate gratefully from Louis’ hands and speared a bite of pineapple, melon and watermelon. He chewed, the sweet juices washing inside his mouth. He wiped his lips with the back of his mouth. Louis watched him carefully, a small smile curving his lips.

“Wow. Thank you so much. That’s so nice.”

“It’s no big deal,” Louis replied casually. “You fuck me into oblivion, I cook you breakfast.”

“I hardly call this cooking.”

“Hey!” Louis giggled, jabbing his finger in his ribs. “You were asleep! P.S. You sleep like an angel.”

“Ha-ha.” Harry deadpanned. He sliced a pineapple with his prongs and lifted it to his mouth, the juice rolling down his thumb. He sucked it off, murmuring, “Last time you said I snore and drool in my sleep.”

“Yeah, well.” Louis shrugged. He flicked on the television and set the volume on low while Harry finished his fruit.

“Ugh, that was so good.” Harry swallowed, setting the empty plate down on his side of the bed. He grinned, waggling his eyebrows for an added effect. “I get so thirsty after sex.”

“You’re always thirsty for me.” Louis rolled his eyes, Harry laughing breathily with him.

Harry stared at Louis for a few seconds, admiring his profile. Louis coughed awkwardly into his fist, Harry raising his eyebrows at the motion. Louis turned around to face him, the duvet pooled in his lap like a pond. Louis cracked his joints on his fingers.

He breathed out, “Harry,” at the same time Harry murmured, “Louis.”

They both laughed, Harry rubbing the back of his neck like a bashful teenager. “You go first,” Harry offered politely, taking note on how Louis wringed his hands nervously.

Louis licked his lips and tried again.

“Harry. I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Yeah? You can tell me anything.”

“Um, well.” Louis paused, his face pinched like he couldn’t push out the words. Harry grabbed his hands, encouraging him to go on. “There’s this guy. A new teacher, actually.”

“Okay.” Harry gulped, dragging out the words.

“His name is Seb, Sebastian, whatever. He talked to me because he was intimidated by the other teachers.” Harry’s eyebrows pinched, confused. Louis shook his head. “Like, okay, whatever, right? So um, we get to know each other very well. He’s nice, cool. Um. He’s like you, I guess.”

Harry stared intently in his eyes. “You guess?”

“Yeah.” Louis nodded firmly. His hands clenched around Harry’s. “Yeah! Like he’s a doppelganger, it’s weird.”

“He looks like me?”

“No! Of course not. No one’s as beautiful as you, Haz.”

Harry smiled at his tender words.

“I just meant he reminds me of you so much. Like, we get on really well like we do. So we hang out and stuff, even went to the October festival. You remember that, Harry? It was so fun.”

“Louis,” Harry interrupted. His eyebrows pinched together. “Is this going somewhere or?”

“Yeah, yes.” Louis exhaled a heavy breath, Harry’s eyes chasing after him. “Zayn was mad at me ‘cause I never mentioned I have a boyfriend, obviously you, so we got in a fight and all. He didn’t wanna talk to me. I didn’t care. So we went to the October fest, me and Seb, and we’re there, right? We’re just—“

Harry paused him, his face scrunched up like he sucked on a lemon. “You went to our, I mean, the October festival with him? Together?”

“Yeah.” At the sight of Harry’s fallen face, Louis took it back, rushing out the words, “No, no, no. Not like that. Of course not, baby. I mean, I went with Niall and he left and I bumped into Sebastian there. So we were there together but not _together_?”

Harry nodded along to his words. “Okay.”

“This is where things get a little confusing.” Louis blew air out of his chapped lips. Harry wanted to kiss them better. “He volunteered me at this new booth they had. A kiss the teacher booth. So I was like, yeah, why the hell not, and went up there meself. So there I was, kiss after kiss, on the cheeks don’t worry Haz and Seb comes up next. I thought he was there to save me right, but _no_ , he leaned in and…And he…”

Harry swallowed around the vice like tightness in his throat. He squeezed Louis’ fingers until he knew it hurt. “And?”

“And he tried to kiss me.” Harry’s eyes widened dramatically. Louis squeezed his fingers back harder, thinking _wait, hold on, don’t let go_. “But I turned my head away! And I guess from Zayn’s point of view he thought we kissed ‘cause he was hysterical and I had to chase him down—“

“He tried to kiss you?” Harry screeched.

He dropped his hands, pulling them away to his chest. _No, no, no,_ Louis thought, chasing after him to come back. _Stay_. Harry tucked his hands underneath his arms. Louis allowed him some space.

“Yeah but believe me Harry, I moved. I didn’t let him. I chased after Zayn and we fought some more for a couple of months. But then I fixed it, okay, and Zayn forgave me. And I’m not talking to Sebastian anymore. Not after what he tried to pull on me.”

Louis breathed out the last of the words, letting the truth linger in the air. Harry looked shocked, confused, hurt. Maybe a combination of all three. Louis wanted to kiss the look off his face, but he was afraid that Harry might slap him or push him away. He didn’t know which one was worse.

Harry wiped his hand across his face. He closed his eyes, exhaling a shuddery sigh. “Let me get this straight,” he said, voice vulnerable. “You came all the way over here to distract me with your body and then tell me this? Tell me about some other guy who tried to kiss you? Are you fucking kidding me, Louis?”

“No, no, no, love. I came here because I missed your voice, your face, your smile. Everything about you. I came here because I wanted to see _you_. You always tell me to give you truths, yeah? Well, I’m giving them to you. I want us to be honest with each other, okay?”

Harry peered at him through the gaps of his fingers. He breathed shallowly, his hand slowly lowering down his face. It was excruciating. He nodded, biting his lip so hard Louis was afraid he was going to break the skin. He shook his head side to side, staring at Louis like a confused puppy.

“Do you love him?”

It felt like a slap to his face.

Louis’ eyes widened, all thoughts of giving Harry space disappearing into thin air as he lunged forward and cupped his cheeks. “Are you crazy, Styles? Baby boy, never, never in a million years. I love you, okay? I love you so fucking much. I’m a fool for you.”

Harry closed his eyes, nodding his head. Louis leaned in until their foreheads touched, their breaths intermingled. “I love you so fucking much. How can I prove it to you? Do you want me to beg on my knees? Do you want me to shout it from the rooftops?”

Harry smiled, his eyes watering. He shook his head, laughing along to Louis’ crazy words. Louis cupped his cheek and kissed him so tenderly as if he might break. Harry giggled quietly, tears slipping down his cheeks. Somehow, being miles apart from Louis made him softer, made him weaker. It made him feel like the insecure sixteen-year-old he once was. Louis kissed him again and again and again.

“Do you have access to the rooftop?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Come with me.”

Louis gripped his hand and pulled him up, up, up. Harry chased after him like a lost puppy. They climbed the stairs leading to the rooftop. The afternoon was slipping into night, the stars dancing like fireflies in the darkness. Louis grabbed his hand and tugged him up. They sat down on the tiles with their thighs touching. They looked up at the stars shining so brightly.

Suddenly, Louis cupped his hands around his mouth and screamed bloody murder.

“I love Harry Styles!”

“What are you doing?” Harry laughed, gripping his forearms and trying to lower his arms down. His laughing face shone brighter than any star, rasping out, “Louis, oh my god!”

“I, Louis Tomlinson, am in love with Harry Styles!”

Passing uni students stopped and stared at the duo. Some even whipped out their phones and started recording them. Harry could imagine the several YouTube videos with titled as, _‘Crazy man shouts proclamation of love. Must watch.’_ Harry didn’t particularly care if he got YouTube famous over a possible future viral video.

“See, Harry?” Louis said, breathless. “I’m shouting my love from the rooftops.”

Harry was so in love it hurt. He pushed Louis down on the tiles gently, sliding his palm on his cheek. Louis stared starry eyed at him with his mouth parted open. Harry leaned in, the sounds of cameras flashing in the distance. He pressed his smiling lips to his mouth, sucking firm wet kisses. His stroking fingers dipped low to his neck.

He wrapped his hand around his throat the way Louis liked and applied light pressure. He kissed the corner of his lips, feeling his pulse beat rapidly under his fingertips. He pulled away with a smile, his eyes remaining on Louis’ face.

“My love,” Louis whispered, cradling his face. His smile grew, glowing in the darkness. “My moon and all my stars.”

Harry kissed him until his lips were swollen and night turned into daylight.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis held him in a bone-crushing hug. He held on to him as if he was going to lose him forever and time was running away. He supposed it was true. Harry was leaving to university two hours away. Louis was going to stay and continue teaching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title comes from the song Sweet Annie by Zac Brown Band. Disclaimer: This is a work of complete fiction. None of this is real, nor did it happen.
> 
> Just over 4k words! So this is your final happy chapter before we really go into the climax, where everything sort of falls apart. Just giving you a heads up! But no need to worry, this will result in a happy ending. Always remember that the happiest of stories have some angst in them in the beginning for dramatic purposes. I also wanted to show you how supportive Louis is as a boyfriend! And how Harry is enveloped in a bright city and he forgets what's the most important...
> 
> P.S. Any Zouis fans out there? *cheers, whistles, claps*

The morning of Louis’ departure was bittersweet. Sweet, because he got to spend the weekend with Harry and things started to go back to normalcy. Bitter, because, well he was leaving to his lonely flat and boring life missing Harry’s giggles.

They hugged in front of his car, lingering on for longer than usual and hands pressed firmly to each other. Louis gave him one last, deep kiss, kissing both his cheeks and giving his hair a gentle tug. He got in his car and backed out of the street, Harry waving after him. Louis tried not to cry as he left the campus, watching Harry’s frame getting smaller and smaller. He plugged in his iPhone and played happy tunes so it wouldn’t prompt the rush of his tears to fall.

Louis made it all the way to the stop light when he burst into tears. Bruno Mars’ _Uptown Funk_ song mocked him from the radio. A car in the back honked at him, speeding around him and passing him in a furry. “Fuck off,” Louis yelled, wiping at his cheeks pathetically. He palmed his face and took a deep breath, pressing on the gas pedal.

When he got home, he dragged up the steps inside his flat. He pushed the door open, his overnight bag sagging on his shoulder. He stopped when he saw three pairs of heads crowded around each other on the sofa. He walked up to them, standing in front of them and blocking their view from the television.

“What’s going on boys?” Louis asked. Six curious eyes stared at him, their faces washed blue from the screen. “How the hell did you guys get in here?”

Zayn looked up at him, his lips popping open to say, “I still have the spare key.”

“Bloody hell. That was years ago from when we were together. Should’ve changed the lock.”

“I’m glad you didn’t.” Zayn gave him an easy smile, his eyes sparkling. “Is this your way of saying you wanna get back together?”

Liam elbowed him in the ribs, Zayn apologizing breathily and mouthing at his neck for revenge. Louis groaned, his eyes sagging to Niall where he was pressed tightly in the corner, far away from the kissing couple.

“Beer?” Niall offered, sucking a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth. His tongue darted out to swipe ice cream off the corner of his mouth. “Ice cream?”

“Yes, please.” Louis gave in with a weak smile.

He plopped himself in between Niall and Liam, tugging up the blue blanket up to his chin. Niall passed him a beer and a bowl of half eaten ice cream, getting up to grab some more. Liam cooed and tugged him in for a hug, Niall coming back with a fresh pint of ice cream. He kissed him messily on his cheek and all boys cuddled him closer.

Louis felt like crying, so he did. Niall worried a glance at Zayn, raising his eyebrows questioningly. Zayn simply shrugged, his mouth pinched. Niall held his hand under the blanket, Liam hugging him to his chest and stroking his hair.

“What’s wrong, Lou?” Liam asked softly, petting his hair.

“Everything, Li,” Louis cried, tears slipping down his flushed cheeks.

“Aw.” Liam rubbed his stomach in slow wide circles, saying nothing more.

Zayn reached around him and dug his spoon in the bowl of ice cream, lifting it to his face. He opened his mouth, Louis mirroring his action, and shoved the spoonful of ice cream in his mouth. He swallowed around the spoon, feeling a bit better already. They fed him ice cream and beer, stroking his hair or murmuring sweet nonsense until Louis fell asleep. Afterwards, they carried him to his bed and Zayn volunteered to cuddle him that night. “He always sleeps better with someone else,” Zayn explained, clicking the door shut in Liam’s and Niall’s worried faces.

He took off his clothes and shoes, leaving him in boxers and mismatched socks. Zayn chuckled to himself and walked to the bathroom to brush his teeth. He noticed Louis’ contact solution when he went to grab the toothpaste and hoped Louis wasn’t wearing his contacts. There was no way he was going to open his closed eyelids and pick at a thin sheet of nothing. He brushed his teeth, brushing all the way to his back molars and spit, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth.

When he walked back to the bedroom, Louis was under the covers. Zayn scratched the back of his neck, tiptoeing to the bed and sliding in. He slid his fingers on Louis’ warm skin and pulled him to his chest. He went to kiss his cheek but Louis shuffled in his sleep, causing Zayn to kiss him on the mouth for a fraction of a second.

“Oh,” he whispered, surprised. He had forgotten how soft Louis’ thin lips were.

Louis murmured, “Hazza,” and leaned in again with his mouth pursued. Zayn clamped his hand over his mouth, Louis’ tongue darting out to flatten on his palm. Zayn yelped and pulled his hand back, Louis’ face scrunching cutely.

“No,” Zayn murmured in the quiet dark. He thumbed circles on his arm, watching Louis’ slackened face washed in the moonlight.

He pressed his thumb to his closed lips and kissed him again, firmer this time. As much as he loved being just friends with Louis, he missed his kisses, his warmth, his love. Louis once loved him openly and loudly, not giving a damn if he gave himself too much away. Zayn had accepted all of him, and Louis was bright and happy but he was also loud and unabashed and Zayn was afraid of being too happy that he cheated on him with Liam. Things were messy and there was a lot of crying, but they fixed their relationship into a friendship. He had to lie to Louis and tell him the reason for their fall out was that he was too clingy, but the truth was that Zayn was afraid of breaking his heart. Things were too perfect and he suffered from cherophobia.

He smoothed the cushion of his lower lip. He wanted to kiss him one last time but he couldn’t. He couldn’t cheat again, especially not on Liam, who taught him to love again, fully this time. He kissed the corner of his mouth instead, his lips centimeters away from Louis’. _One_ _last_ _time_ , he reminded himself. It wasn’t cheating if it was one little kiss.

He moved his mouth so that it was on top of Louis’. He kissed him, tender and soft, his belly swooping in like he was falling and falling into nothingness. He didn’t dare to kiss him deeper, just a quick peck on the lips, pulling away from the trance Louis caught him in. _Closure_ , he repeated. He finally got his closure.

He rested his palm on Louis’ cheek. He breathed in and out, his heart hammering in his chest. He dropped his hand and turned around. Instead of spooning Louis like he had intended to do so, he clutched the pillow and forced his body to sleep.

 _Harry is one lucky bastard_ , Zayn thought to himself.

“How could I ever let you go?” he whispered aloud, Louis’ quiet snuffles loud in the air.

Zayn was lucky. He won Louis back as a friend and found love again. Louis was thrilling and euphoric while Liam was clumsy at kissing and awkward in bed. Louis was like walking sex on legs. But Zayn couldn’t love him more than a friend and he loved Liam more than what he could give to Louis. It’s just how life was. He was happy that Louis was with Harry, truly. If Harry ever broke his heart, Zayn was sure to break his face.

That night, he fell asleep soundly to the sounds of Louis’ even breaths, the other boy unaware of the kiss lingering on his lips.

. . .

Louis’ arms fell on top of a warm body. He moved his eyes under his closed eyelids, slapping the skin beneath him. “Hmmphf,” a voice murmured gruffly. Louis opened one and eye and peeked. Tan skin, dark hair, tattooed arms. Zayn. Louis sat up in bed and stretched, opening up his mouth on a lazy yawn. He scratched his arm and lifted the corner of the duvet to leap out. He stilled when he saw he was almost naked save for his black boxers. He slowly turned around to the sleeping body next to him. He lifted the duvet off Zayn’s shoulders, his eyes widening comically.

“Fuck.” Louis ran one hand through his hair, tugging on the longer ends. He pushed Zayn’s shoulder, slapping his skin to startle him awake. “Zayn, wake the fuck up!”

“Grugh.” Zayn swatted him away. Louis continued to pester him, resulting in slapping him across the cheek, _hard_. Zayn shot up in bed, cradling his cheek in shock. He looked at Louis with wide eyes, his mouth parted open. “God, what the fuck! Is that how you wake Harry up? I seriously thought you woke him up with a morning blowie.”

Louis smacked him across the other cheek. Zayn yelled in pain, cradling his other cheek. Both hands were sandwiching his face together, his cheeks squished. “Stop! Fuck!”

“Zayn, why am I naked?”

Zayn dropped his hands, a bright red blooming over his cheeks. “What?”

Louis stood up, flicking his hand from his chest to his groin. Zayn followed his movements with hooded eyes. His eyebrows pinched, his mouth twisting. “You’re not naked. You’re wearing boxers.”

“I’m almost naked as are you. What happened last night?”

“Nothing.” Zayn got up from bed, bending his back, his joints popping exhaustedly. “You came in and cried and we fed you ice cream and beer, the usual. I brought you back here and undressed you. Why are you freaking out all of a sudden?”

Louis sighed sweet relief. He watched as Zayn bent low to tug on his jeans one leg at a time.

“Fuck. Why are my eyes so dry?”

He rubbed his fists in his eyes and opened them, his eyes colored a bloodshot red. Zayn grimaced at him while he tugged on his jeans up to his waist, buttoning them. Louis padded into the bathroom and stretched the skin above and below his eyes.

“Oh my god. Did I sleep in with my contacts on?”

Zayn lowered his lip in a sneer, showing off his sharp teeth. “Oops. Sorry about that.”

The sound of rushing water was heard. Zayn presumed Louis was discarding his dry contacts. The tap water stopped, the patter of feet slapping on the tile next.

He walked out of the bedroom shirtless, Louis following after him with only his boxers on. Liam and Niall were already seated at the kitchen table, eating a bowl of Frosted Flakes and cut up bananas. Liam rustled the newspaper in his hands, his eyes peering over at the duo. He lowered the newspaper, his thick eyebrows furrowed together. Niall stopped his slurping, his eyes scanning over their bodies.

Zayn’s cheeks were flushed, his hand running down his bare chest. Louis was no off better. His hair was sticking out in odd directions and his lips were bitten. Liam and Niall exchanged a glance before Niall resumed his slurping.

“Did you guys fuck?” he asked around a mouthful of cereal.

Liam elbowed him in the ribs sharply, causing Niall to choke and spit out his cereal. “Jesus Christ,” he muttered, rubbing his neck. He picked up his fallen spoon and shoved soggy cereal into his mouth.

“Did you?” Liam asked anyways, his eyebrows shot up in the air.

“Fuck no,” Zayn replied. He poured himself a mug of tea and grabbed the sugar.

Louis opened the fridge and rummaged through the contents inside. He hummed happily as he took out a small white box of powdered donuts. He closed the door with his bum and opened the lid, breathing in the sugar. Niall’s mouth fell open, his spoon falling to the floor.

“It’s okay if you did,” Liam supplied. His eyebrows twitched together, his lips pursed to the side. “I know you guys have history. You still think Louis’ attractive.”

Louis widened his eyes in surprise. Zayn whipped around, his hand clenched tight around the handle of the mug. “What? No I don’t.” Liam looked more confused, his eyebrows waggling as if they didn’t know to raise or frown. “You do, though. You confessed it to me when you were drunk.”

Louis’ mouth stuck open. He barely grabbed onto a donut when Niall ran past him and clutched the box to his chest. He yelled, “Sweet victory!” and jumped on the sofa, turning on the television. Exaggerated moans came next in the distance.

“That true?” Louis asked.

“Nope.”

“Zayn.”

“Fine. Yes!”

Zayn sat across from Liam and sipped on his coffee. He rolled his eyes and waved his hand in the air, explaining truthfully, “I dated you once, you know? I’m never gonna find you _not_ attractive. That will never change.” Louis cooed and ruffled his hair in passing, taking a large bite out of his one donut.

“Aw, Zaynie.”

He plopped himself on the sofa, extending out his legs and resting them on top of Niall’s lap. “If I massage your stinky feet, can I eat all of the donuts?” he asked hopefully. Louis chewed thoughtfully, crumbs falling down his chin. “Have at it mate.” He really needed a foot massage anyways. Niall grinned happily and started to rub slow circles on the arch of his foot, his other hand cradling his powdered donut like it was his personal treasure. Louis imagined Niall as Gollum, clutching the donut as he rasped out, “My precious.”

He giggled quietly, the slow rubs on his heel stopping. “Whasso funny?” Niall asked, his bottom lip covered in sugar. “Nothing,” Louis replied, smiling. Niall shrugged and continued the slow rubs that had Louis arching off the sofa.

“Hey, this came in the mail for you.” Liam handed Louis a closed envelope.

He sat down on the loveseat, Zayn chasing after him. He squished against him and rested his head on his shoulder. “Well open it,” Zayn urged, his sleepy eyelids closing. Louis swiped his tongue over his front teeth and ripped open the envelope. A letter fell on his lap.

He picked it up, his eyes scanning over the pretty handwriting. His heartbeat sped up, Niall’s massaging doing nothing to make his body relax. It was a letter from Sebastian. “Well?” Liam asked, his eyebrow arched. Even Niall stopped munching on the last donut to stare at Louis with curiosity.

Louis cleared his throat and opened his mouth, pushing out Sebastian’s words.

“ _Louis, I’m writing this letter from my bedroom with a lit candle beside me. It’s quite romantic. It reminds me of you. I know you said you have a boyfriend and all but I’m taking a chance. I’m willing to put everything on the line for you. Louis, you’re one in a million. You are an individual that comes once in a lifetime and I am lucky enough that I met you. I’m especially lucky that you talked to me even though I was the one who talked to you first. Again, I am very knowing of your boyfriend. But Louis, he isn’t here and I am. The universe put us together for a reason. I want to risk everything for you. I am gonna give it a shot because your boyfriend is a goalkeeper, and I will be the one that scores a goal. It will be an utmost privilege to kiss you. I will do whatever it takes to earn it. Come back to me mon amour. Love, Sebastian.”_

Louis swallowed the words, hesitantly adding, “And then he crossed out the word love and replaced it with ‘ _warm regards_.’”

“Wow,” Niall breathed out. “He’s proper romantic, innit?”

Zayn waved his hand in the air, his face flushed. “Mon amour?” Liam asked, looking at Zayn for help. “My love,” he supplied. Louis tucked the letter back in the torn envelope, all three boys looking at him to see what he would do next. Wordlessly, he walked back to his bedroom and closed it, the sound of the door locking loud in the heavy air.

“Maybe the letter was supposed to be private.” Niall grimaced, looking at Liam and Zayn. They nodded in unison and Zayn plucked the remote control from the coffee table, raising the volume up. They sat in awkward silence watching colors and light dance before their eyes.

Louis slammed his body on the bed, groaning in his pillow. He clutched the envelope in his hands, the paper crinkling. He could feel the words practically burn his skin. He shoved it in his drawer and closed it shut, muffling another pained groan into his pillow. Why couldn’t everything just fall into place and be stupidly perfect? Was that too much to ask for? Apparently so.

He was debating on either taking a long shower or sleeping for a few more hours when his phone rang. He scrambled to pick it up, chasing the sound. He frowned at his trousers sliding on the floor with vibrations. He picked it up and dug his phone out of the pocket, accepting the call before the last ring.

“Harry,” Louis said, his voice cheerful.

“Hey, Louis,” Harry replied, his voice a little sad.

Louis frowned and settled back on the bed. He gripped the phone tighter to his cheek, wishing that Harry’s voice was closer.

“Baby boy, what’s wrong?” he asked worriedly.

“Um.” Harry stalled. He swallowed hard before continuing. “Nothing. It’s just…I went to class today.”

“Yeah?” Louis encouraged.

“And I had a meeting scheduled with one of my professors in my media class. I thought that he wanted to review my exam scores since they were kind of low last time. Maybe offer some tutoring or extra credit to boost up my grade, but no.”

His voice trembled on the last words, Louis’ heart clenching. He wanted to hold him close and kiss the pain away. He wanted to take the hurt and spread it on his own chest. He wanted to do whatever it took to make him happy again.

“I…I don’t know what I did wrong or…Maybe I just didn’t comprehend or something like that…”

“No, no, baby. What’s wrong? What happened?”

“He told me…Lou. He told me that I’m failing.”

Harry’s pained voice resonated in his ears. He felt himself falling, falling, falling with nowhere to grip and hold on to. His eyelashes fluttered across his cheeks, rewinding the words to make sure he heard them right.

“Failing? Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Harry said brokenly. “Not even by a little, Lou. By a lot.”

“Um. That’s okay, love. Everybody has a hard class that they almost fail in.”

“Lou!” Harry desperately pleaded, trying to make him understand. “I’m not almost failing, I’m actually failing.”

“Shush, shush. Okay, baby, I’m sorry. I misunderstood. That’s alright. Is there something you can do? Someone who can help you study?”

Harry cried so softly into the phone that Louis almost missed it. His heartbeat rabbited in his chest, his sweaty hands palming on his thighs. He wanted to jump in his car and drive all the way to Pratt to kiss his tears away. “No. It’s too late. We’re six months in and there’s only three months left. I asked. And he said there was no way. Unless…Unless…”

“Unless what, baby,” Louis coaxed out.

“Unless I take the class again in the summer.”

“But—But…” Louis stammered. “But you were gonna come back home in the summer.”

“I know.” Harry wept. The next words sounded strangled and static over the phone. “They’re offering the class in the summer. If I don’t take it I won’t graduate with all my credits.”

“But we were gonna bicycle to the park and have a nice picnic you always wanted. And we were gonna buy ice lollies and look at the clouds. It was supposed to be me and you this summer. Together,” Louis argued weakly.

“I know. I know.” Harry cried silently into the phone. Louis imagined his cheeks flushed, tears rolling down to pool at his collarbones. His eyes were always extra green after he cried. So beautiful. “Don’t you think I don’t know? God, I was so excited for the summer. To be with you. I just kept counting down the days until we would meet each other again.”

Louis brought his knees to his chin. He listened to the sounds of Harry’s shallow breaths. Even though his voice was next to his ear, he felt the endless miles between them. Aching. Harry’s broken voice spoke, “I guess we can still see each other sometimes. It’s my turn…God, it’s been only one day and I miss you so much already.”

“I know baby boy,” Louis mumbled. “I can’t wait ‘til you come down so I can kiss you fiercely.”

Harry laughed wetly. Louis’ lips curved into a small smile, lifting himself up that he made Harry laugh even if it was infinitesimal. “I miss you when you say things like that. Your hot, poetic mouth.”

Harry’s sudden change of words made Louis laugh so brightly. He clutched his stomach, his laughs pulling from his throat. “Oh my god Harry, you can’t just say things like that!”

Harry giggled into the phone. Louis wiped his tears away, caused by Harry’s ridiculousness and pressed his smile to the receiver. He imagined Harry felt it too, pressing his own smile to the small device. His laughs diminished into bubbly giggles, the sound airy and light.

“Harry, I want to let you know that I’m so proud of you.”

“I know,” Harry sighed contently. “You never let me forget.”

“And I never will.” Louis rested his arm under his head, looking up at the ceiling. He envisioned the same stars from last night, brushing his fingers across his lips, still feeling the touch of Harry’s sweet slicked lips. “Just because you’re having trouble in a class doesn’t mean you’ve failed.”

“It doesn’t?” he asked, unsure.

“It doesn’t,” Louis replied, firm. “You’re smart Harry. You can do this.”

“I can,” Harry repeated. He sounded confident and beautiful. Louis wished he could transport to wherever he was and kiss him senseless.

“And when you come home, I want you to come home the right way.”

“What’s the right way?”

“Coming home dressed in a gown and cap.”

Harry laughed loudly, the sound echoing off the walls, seeping in the darkness, making everything light. Louis wanted to hear his laugh for the rest of his life. He cradled the phone to his cheek as if he was hugging Harry tightly, his cheek pressed to his.

“Oh, Lou. You get me the most…” A knocking was heard on his end of the line, voices bouncing against each other. Louis craned his neck to hear better. “Hey, I gotta go, is that alright?”

Louis’ face fell. He didn’t have to disguise it into a smile since Harry couldn’t see him. “Sure,” he said in a self-deprecating manner.

“Alright, I’ll talk to you later. Bye!”

“Bye. I love you,” Louis called out but the line went dead.

He waited for Harry to call him back to tell him those three words but he never did. He even waited a bit longer for a text message that never arrived. He gave up and plugged his iPhone into the wall, letting it cool down and charge.

Louis walked out of the bedroom and into the living room. Niall was snoring loudly on the couch, his face covered in powdered sugar. Louis raised an eyebrow at him where he was sprawled out on the cushions. He lifted his face up to see Liam and Zayn shrugging on their coats.

“Hey,” Zayn greeted, zipping up his jacket. “We’re going out for drinks. We heard you on the phone so we didn’t wanna bother you. Up for it?”

Louis shrugged, grabbing his own jacket from the coat racket. He slipped his arm in as Liam folded a beanie over his messy hair. His eyes flitted to Zayn’s neck where a lovely red bruise bloomed bright. He raised his eyebrows at them, Zayn’s gaze narrowed to something in the back. Louis turned around and noticed the table wiped clean of any mess. Usually a bowl of fruit was in the middle as the centerpiece but even that was gone.

Louis connected the pieces together and groaned. “Oh, god.” His nose wrinkled, looking at Zayn and Liam accursedly. “You didn’t have sex on top of my kitchen table, did you?”

“Nope,” Zayn said with shining lips. He wiggled his fingers in the air, his other hand opening the door. “Just messy hand jobs.”

Louis groaned louder, his face twisted in disgust. He saw Liam suck his thumb in, his eyes lighting up at Zayn’s hot gaze. He rolled his eyes and cupped his hands around his mouth, shouting aloud, “Niall, we’re going out for pints. Up for it?”

“Give it a rest,” Zayn said. He started to leave with Liam following closely behind. “He’s knocked out like a light.”

As if on cue, Niall poked his head above the sofa. His sleepy eyes adjusted to the bright light. He scrambled up and hurried to stuff his socked feet in untied boots.

“Coming! Coming!” he said as he hopped on one foot.

“Thank fuck,” Louis sighed with relief, flickering the lights off. He wasn’t going to be third wheeling with the disgustingly cute couple anymore. He stopped at the doorway, debating between letting his phone charge or taking it with him in case of any possible emergencies. Also, he was waiting on a love text from a curly-haired lad in particular.

“Coming, Lou?” Niall asked from somewhere below the stairs.

“Yeah, yeah,” Louis answered back. He bit his top lip and decided against it, locking the door behind him. He jogged down the steps and caught up with the boys. “Wait for me!”

Louis spent the night laughing and spilling drinks on his shirt. He was drunk enough that he let a few attractive strangers pinch his bum and grind their bodies close to his back in slow, hazy beats. He rejected several bold men and confused women and never thought twice about the missing phone in his pocket.

He didn’t have to, because Harry never called or texted back.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis held him in a bone-crushing hug. He held on to him as if he was going to lose him forever and time was running away. He supposed it was true. Harry was leaving to university two hours away. Louis was going to stay and continue teaching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title comes from the song Sweet Annie by Zac Brown Band. Disclaimer: This is a work of complete fiction. None of this is real, nor did it happen.
> 
> Exactly 4,500 words! I feel a little bit proud of myself to be quite honest. We travel into more happiness with Larry before all goes to hell! The next chapter will be full of irony and you'll see why. We also venture into Zouis and why their relationship didn't work out so well. Grab your tissues Zouis fans 'cause it's about to get real up in here. We're more than halfway done with this fic. Who's sad? I know I am.

Louis woke up with a pulsating headache. His hand shot out to snooze the alarm for the second time that morning. He rolled over on the bed, his legs sticking out from the duvet. On the third blaring alarm, he shut it off and dragged himself out of bed. If he didn’t get ready now, he was going to be late like the rest of the previous times. He took one look at himself in the mirror and hopped in the shower.

Beads of water raced down his tired, boneless body. Without effort, he lathed shampoo in his hair and closed his eyes. The pitter patter of water splashed on the tiles. He scrubbed a loofa under his armpits and on his groin. He rested his forehead on the wall and almost dozed off, his body going limp. He turned the water to a cool rush and let it wash over his soaped body. He got out shivering, wrapping a towel around his waist.

He did his usual morning routine, brushed his teeth, prepared some tea in his to go mug, and made himself some egg on toast. He skipped wearing contacts for today because his eyes were red rimmed and tired and instead propped his glasses on his nose.

He was rummaging through his bedside drawer to find less dorky glasses when his fingers bumped on an envelope. Sebastian’s letter. Without overthinking it, he grabbed it and stuffed it in his work bag, closing the drawer shut. He grabbed his to go mug and flicked the lights shut, locking the door behind himself. On his way over to school, he double tapped on Niall’s name and brought the phone to rest between his cheek and shoulder.

Niall answered with a muffled, “Ungh,” groggily.

“Tell me why I let you drag me to drinks on a week night? On a _school_ week night?”

“Fuck. What time s’it?” Louis fiddled with the radio while Niall mumbled incoherent noises. “I didn’t drag you to drinks. Let me remind you that _you’re_ the one who dragged _me_.”

P!nk flowed the inside of the car. He hummed along to her lyrics while he pulled in the teacher’s parking lot. He grabbed his rucksack and climbed out, locking the car with a beep. He balanced the phone on his cheek, checking the time on his watch. Five minutes to spare. He was early for once.

“Yeah but you’re the one who kept buying me rounds you cheeky little bugger.”

Niall laughed loudly in his ear. The sound of rushing water was heard in the distance. He was probably waking up and washing his face. “Dunno mate, you kept shouting, ‘More, more, more!’”

“I did _not_ ,” Louis said mock offended. He waved at Susan’s smiling face and walked to his classroom, his to go mug in hand. He opened the door and left it ajar, plopping himself on his chair. It was barely the start of day and he was already exhausted.

He rubbed his temple while he took out his utensils for the day. His copy of _Wuthering Heights_ , the last of his essays that he was _supposed_ to mark last night and the colored journals for his specific class.

“You also jumped on the table and strip teased along to _He’s A Dream_ by Shandi. Who knew you memorized every step in that Flashdance scene?”

“Oh god.” Louis slumped his forehead on the table, banging his head on the wood repeatedly. “Please tell me people didn’t tip me.”

“Oh they tipped you. They tipped you _good_.” Niall cackled aloud while Louis groaned in pain.

He shoved his hand in the trousers he was wearing from last night. He took out crumpled euros, even a five euro. He moaned and muttered, “Bye Nialler,” with his thumb hovering over the end call button. Niall bellowed out a, “Wait! Wait! Do you fancy going out for drinks later?” Louis grit out a, “Bye,” and ended the call with Niall’s laugh ringing in the background.

“Good morning Mr. Tomlinson,” a cheery voice chirped.

Louis lifted up his head as one of his students walked in. He checked the time, one minute until the first bell rang. “Oh, um, good morning to you too.” He smoothed down his tie and started placing the colored journals in their owners’ respective desks. Slowly, students started to trickle in his class after the morning bell rang. They sat in their seats and took out _Wuthering Heights_ , Louis flipping the pages until he got to the chapter where they last left off.

When his last student ran inside, he raised his eyebrow and began reading. He voiced the dramatic story of Heathcliff and Cathy with a mix of violence and death, until he grew tired and let them read the next two chapters in quiet reading time. He poured himself a cup of tea that he hid in his drawer and sipped quietly while pages rustled and chairs squeaked. Then, he formed the desks in a circle and the whole class exchanged their thoughts back and forth over Heathcliff’s and Cathy’s chaotic romance.

He announced there would be no homework when the bell rang (frankly because he couldn’t bother marking again, he was behind on it as well) and his students cheered and sighed in relief. He ushered them out and stood by the doorway, offering them soft smiles and pats on their backs. He was about to head inside to prepare for his next class when he saw Sebastian walking into the teacher’s lounge. He grabbed his rucksack and retrieved his love letter or whatever kind of letter it was.

With dignified steps, he walked inside the teacher’s lounge and stood by the doorway. Sebastian turned around with his own cup of tea in his hands. “What the hell is this?” he asked, holding up the aforementioned letter. Sebastian arched his eyebrow, dumping the tea bag in the hot liquid and raised it to his lips. He took a long sip and licked his red lips.

“What do you think it is?”

“A stupid unrequited love letter.”

“Stupid? That’s a little harsh, innit?”

Louis bit the inside of his lip hard. He unfolded the letter inside and read aloud with a shaky voice, _“It will be an utmost privilege to kiss you. I will do whatever it takes to earn it. Come back to me mon amour. Love, Sebastian.”_

“Actually.” Sebastian walked over to him and tapped the letter, the paper crinkling. “It says _warm regards, Sebastian.”_

“Don’t try to change the subject,” Louis spit, his top lip snarled. “What are you on about? Sending me a love letter to my house where my boyfriend could be there at any minute?”

Sebastian hummed, his lips pressed to the porcelain rim. “Well, _is_ he home?”

Louis faltered. “N-No.”

“Ah.” Sebastian turned around and dumped the rest of his tea in the sink. Even without Louis looking at his face, he knew he was biting back a smug smile. For some unknown reason, it made him angry. His shoulders shook as he spoke. “That’s too bad.”

Louis gave him an out. “Look, can you just tell me that you were drunk and wrote this in a spur of a moment? That it was merely a mistake? A joke? We can forget all about it and we can go back to the way we were. Friends.”

Sebastian looked at him like he grew another head. His expression twisted into something vicious, his nose scrunching up. Louis could feel the heat of his gaze from miles away. Sebastian walked up to him so close he could smell the tea off his breath.

“Don’t you understand? I want to be more than friends.”

He brushed past him but before he could leave, Louis turned around and said loudly, “I think you’re the one who doesn’t understand. We’re just friends, that’s all we’re ever going to be. You can lie to yourself but you can’t unsee the truth. Harry’s my boyfriend and if you can’t accept that then I’m sorry.”

Sebastian’s shoulders trembled with a harsh laugh. He looked over his shoulder with red, prickling eyes. “I always get what I want. _Always_.”

He left Louis alone in the teacher’s lounge. Louis shivered, something about the tone of his voice sending sparks of tremor up his spine. He shoved the letter in his back pocket and headed back to his classroom. He walked in to a roomful of students. They looked at him with curious eyes, a paper plane flying past his forehead. He ducked and avoided it, the plane hitting the door where he was closing it shut.

“Sorry about that.” He gestured with his hands and sat on top of his desk, his ankles crossing in the air. He attempted at a smile. “So, do you all have your dialogues you were going to act out?”

The class erupted into excited chatter and noise. He smiled to himself as his students assembled into groups and started dressing into their character parts. He gripped his cup of tea and sipped, the first group walking to the front of the class and getting into position. They looked up to him to begin.

Louis nodded, announcing, “Action!” with a crinkled smile.

. . .

It was nearing his lunch break when Louis was picking up scattered papers from the floor. His classes were alive with joy and dramatic ambition that he wasn’t so tired anymore. He grabbed the colored journals from his last class and stuffed them into a bookshelf. He ran his hand through his limp hair and situated himself on the chair. He pulled out his phone and thumbed Harry a text, deciding against calling him since he knew he was in class at the moment.

The next few minutes were filled with the sounds of Louis’ thumbs clicking over the buttons and his phone vibrating.

_Let’s meet for lunch. xx_

**What—Today?**

_Yeah. C’mon, we’ll meet halfway. You’ll be back for your 4 o’clock class._

**Where? x**

_The rest stop where that soda exploded on me. Exit 17, I think. 1 o’clock._

**Alright. See you then.** **P.S. I finally finished my media project. :)**

The words media project was underlined with a link to a picture. Louis clicked on it and exhaled breathy laughter. It was a picture of Zayn made up with symbols and letters. He was making a funny face with his eyebrow raised and his lips were stretched out in a tight smile. Louis smiled and saved it to his phone.

He pocketed his phone and grabbed his rucksack. With one final look around his room, he flicked the lights shut and locked the door. He was walking to his car when he caught a glimpse of Sebastian hopping in his own car. He avoided his eyes and climbed inside, revving out of the parking lot. He drove to the gas station where he said he would meet up with Harry, nerves prickling his skin with goosebumps. He fingered the little black box in his trousers pocket.

As he got closer to the rest stop, the first drops of rain started to drizzle on his windshield. He watched streaks of rain coat the glass window. He wiped them away with his windshield wipers, turning the engine off. He grabbed his coat from his backseat and covered his hair with it as he ran to the gas station store. He shrugged on his coat under the roof and hugged his arms to himself, the sky picking up on a cool breeze. Rain plus wind, how romantic.

He watched as a car pulled up in the parking lot. Harry murmured something to his friend and jogged in the rain, his curls soaked. He ran up to Louis and stopped in front of him. His cheeks were flushed, water dripping down the line of his throat. Louis wanted to lick him up. Instead, he remained motionless as Harry reached him.

“Hey! This is not halfway. I did the math. I had to drive way longer than you. Montclair would’ve been closer so you have to buy lunch.” He smiled at him, his eyes squinted in the rain. Louis remained speechless as he got down on one foot. He pulled out the small black box and opened it, revealing a silver band. Harry stared open mouthed at him. His eyes widened, his words weak. “What are you doing?”

“I just—I can’t wait.”

“Oh my god.” Harry covered his mouth with his hand.

The rain around them didn’t subside. In fact, the wind blew harder, Harry’s longer curls whipping across his face. The roof was no match for protection against the rain, water blowing streams of rain down their shivering bodies. Louis on the other hand, was shivering with anticipation.

“Harry, will you marry me?”

“Oh my god,” Harry repeated.

“So?” Louis asked, tentative.

Harry nodded his head fervently. “Yes.”

Louis stood up and cupped his cheeks. He pressed an ardent kiss to his mouth, his lips sucking on his top lip. They were kissing in the rain. In his head, Louis checked one item off his bucket list. Harry gripped him in a tight hug, his finger looped in a shining silver band. Their lips sucked in a new, growing kiss. Louis pulled away and kissed him all over his soaked skin, Harry laughing as he threw his head back. He was so—fucking—beautiful. Louis licked into his mouth, the taste of Harry so addicting and sweet. Louis couldn’t get enough of him.

He wasn’t second guessing himself after watching Harry’s watery smile grow into something so bright and beautiful.

He brought their foreheads together and kissed him again. They were still standing in the cold, unforgiving rain but Louis could care less. All that mattered now was that he was with his fiancé. His _fiancé_ , god. The word sounded so good in his mouth.

“Do you want to be my date for the Valentine’s dance they’re holding at the school?”

Harry nodded, his smiling mouth saying, “Yes. Of course.”

Louis smiled wider and brought their lips together for a deep, slow kiss. February 1st marked the day where he got engaged to a beautiful, beautiful boy. Louis couldn’t be happier. He continued kissing him in the rain thinking, _I’m a fool for you so much that I bought the engagement ring one week after we started dating._

After their bodies were trembling with chill, Louis decided he wasn’t going to die as an engaged man with hypothermia and tugged Harry inside the store. He bought him a sandwich, almonds, and cheese sticks with two bottles of water. Harry insisted that it was okay for Louis to jump in the car with him and his friend and they ran inside, holding hands along the way. Harry introduced Louis to his new friend, Derek was his name, and settled in the backseat with their lunch.

Derek played sweet melodies on the radio while Harry cuddled Louis in the backseat. He chewed on his cheese stick with smiling lips as Louis closed his eyes and listened to the song.

_Wise men say_

_Only fools rush in_

_But I can't help falling in love with you_

_Shall I stay?_

_Would it be a sin_

_If I can't help falling in love with you?_

Louis pressed his mouth to Harry’s damp curls, breathing him in. He was having fun with his boy even though they were in the backseat of a friend’s car, the rain pounding on the roof. He kissed the crown of his head and hummed along to the soft lyrics. Harry buried himself deeper on his chest and fluttered his eyes closed. The silver band glowed in the dim light.

After they finished their lunch and time was reaching four o’clock, Louis kissed Harry goodbye reluctantly. The rain had stopped falling and the sun was peeking over the clearing clouds. Harry promised to come down in two weeks for the Valentine’s dance and blew him a kiss. Louis pretended to catch it and held his hand over his heart. He signaled him with his four fingers bent, his thumb wiggling. Harry signaled back, signing _beau, lover, sweetheart._

Louis walked backwards, watching the car pull up from the driveway and head on to the street. Harry watched him through the window, his smiling lips diminishing. Louis knew how he felt. He didn’t want to propose while he was away, but he wanted to show him he loved him as much as their first date, maybe even more. His love for him was so much that it spilled over and bled through his ribcage _._

Louis got in his car and drove home. He placed the empty box in the center console, his heart soaring. For a moment, he thought maybe Harry would reject him. But he was wrong. Harry loved him back as much as Louis loved him and they were going to be together until the end. Until forever. They were forever.

He pulled up in his driveway, getting out and locking it with a resounding beep. The door to his flat was ajar, light spilling out on the floor. Louis walked inside. Zayn was rummaging around the kitchen wearing Harry’s apron over his naked chest. Something familiar and aching spurred inside his belly. He closed the door shut and shook out his wet hair. Zayn turned around at the noise and smiled, lifting up his wooden spoon in greeting.

“Oh, hey. Didn’t hear you come in. Liam and Niall are on their way.”

Louis tilted his head side to side. He shrugged off his soaked coat and toed off his trainers by the door. “Zayn,” he started. “You have to stop coming in here like it’s your home. What does Liam think about this?”

“He thinks it’s brilliant. This is like our hang out place.”

Zayn turned on the oven fan and stirred something boiling in the pan. He grabbed a kitchen knife and started chopping tomatoes on a wooden board. Louis sat down on the kitchen table and grabbed a cherry from the centerpiece of fruits. He popped it into his mouth, cherry juice sliding down his chin.

“What are you making anyways? Smells delicious.”

“Orzo with tomatoes and feta Wasabi seared tuna salad on the side.” Zayn turned around and noticed Louis’ surprised face, his curved eyebrows arched. “What? I would sometimes come over when you were at work and Harry would teach me how to cook. It was back in the days when I was trying to swoon Liam when we first started dating.”

“Uh-huh.” Louis nodded, cautious. “So this,” he waved his hand in the air, motioning at the spices and vegetables, “has been going on for years now?”

“You know it.” Zayn’s eyes flitted downwards to the cherry juice dribbling down his chin. Louis meant to thumb it off but Zayn came closer, pressing his open lips to suck on his chin. He pulled away with a wet pop, his lips glistening red. “Fuck. You _look_ delicious too. Forgot how good you look after a shower.”

Louis wiped his hand on his chin. His eyes were rounded, his expression mortified. “Zayn. That’s—That’s inappropriate. Liam wouldn’t like it very much.”

Zayn stirred the orzo in the pan. He tapped the wooden spoon on the rim and closed the pan with the top. He licked his lips and rested his hands behind on the countertop, shrugging.

“We have a deal. Liam and me. We can choose a person to sleep with for one night and the other can’t get mad. Liam picked David Beckham, of course, and I picked…” Louis raised his eyebrows, waiting. Zayn smirked. “I picked you.”

Louis spit out the second cherry he had popped into his mouth. His eyes bulged out of his head. He didn’t know what the right expression was there for a confession like this but it sure wasn’t flattery. He ran a hand through his damp hair, flexing his biceps slowly. Zayn followed the motion, his eyes sparkling. Louis dropped his hand.

“You can’t say things like that to me anymore. Besides, I think Liam meant a celebrity, not an ex-lover.”

Zayn shrugged again, seeming unbothered with the whole situation. “He didn’t seem to mind.”

“Why me?” Louis asked, because he just had to know.

“You’re a good fuck. A great kisser. A better boyfriend.”

“You broke up with me, though.”

Zayn’s shoulders tensed. He ran his tongue under his top teeth. He turned around and opened the top off the pan, bubbling orzo filling in his nostrils. He stirred around the substance and pressed his lips together. Louis watched his back carefully, studying him. Whenever he mentioned their breakup or his cheating, Zayn always turned uncomfortably quiet. As if he was the one who was still healing from their messy breakup.

He replaced the top on the pan again and turned around to face Louis. He held his palms out, waving them in the air. Louis’ eyes flitted down to his hands then back to his face again.

“I never said sorry. About the whole…thing.”

“But you did.” Louis’ eyebrows pinched. “If you hadn’t, I would have never forgiven you.”

“I apologized for cheating, I never apologized for breaking up with you.”

“Oh.” Louis’ eyebrows were raised, his expression shocked. “Okay.”

“So here I am, apologizing.”

“So apologize then.”

“I’m sorry, Lou. For being such a shit boyfriend and for being an even shittier friend afterwards. I should have waited a couple of months to date Liam but I went right ahead and dated him the day after our break up right in front of you. You deserved so much more than what I could give you. And I’m sorry for that too. If I could, I would take it all back and treat you better. We probably would’ve been together.”

“But why?” Louis’ eyes pricked with tears. “Why were you such an arsehole?”

“I don’t know.” Zayn’s eyes sagged with sadness. He reached out to Louis but held back. He bit his lip and opened his mouth to continue. “I guess I was afraid of being happy. I dunno. You were just _so much_ , you know? I couldn’t keep up. You took care of me through everything and I was helpless whenever you were tired and needed my love. I couldn’t give it to you.”

Louis nodded along to his words. He still didn’t understand but he let Zayn coax the words out of his mouth. Words that needed to be heard years ago but were now making an appearance. He and Zayn never did get it right, did they?

“I’m not affectionate and you know that. It was one of the many things we fought about. And then after our break up, you met Harry at that coffee shop in university and fell for him, _hard_. You treated him like a baby and he loved it, just swallowed it all up and begged for more. You loved it too. It’s always been inside you, that instinct to take care of people and coddle them. And whenever you were sad and hurt, Harry would treat you like a baby. Quite literally. He was your balance. You both were clingy and desperate and he gave you so much more than what I could in a week.”

Louis swallowed. He remembered once when he was sad and begging for Zayn’s attention and Zayn didn’t do anything. He gave him some space because, _“I’m not gonna treat you like a fucking baby, Lou. You’re eighteen. Grow up.”_ After they broke up and Louis met Harry, Harry was so different from Zayn that it was a thrilling, new experience. The rare times that Louis was sad, Harry would make him some soup and cuddle him until he felt better. _“Why are you doing this?”_ Louis had asked, quiet and shy. Harry simply tugged the blankets around his body tighter. _“Because I quite love you.”_ That was it. Harry had told him he loved him the first time when Louis was snotty and sick and Harry kissed him through it all. He still kisses him through everything. As long as they were together.

Louis shook his head. “No need to rehash everything.” He smiled weakly. “I forgave you already. What’s in the past should stay in the past.”

Zayn exhaled a sigh of relief and took his hand in his. He smoothed the skin with his thumb, rubbing slow circles there. The smile on his lips was small, but still there. “You need to know the truth. Aren’t you the one who always says you can’t build a relationship with lies?”

“We’re not in a relationship anymore.”

Zayn smiled wider. “We kinda are.”

Louis took back his hands and replaced them in the pockets of his trousers. He blew air out of his lips to blow away his fringe. Zayn’s sharp teeth snagged on his lower lip. He came closer and cupped Louis’ cheeks, his gaze hot and burning. A blush crept up Louis’ cheeks, coloring him red.

“I really wanna kiss you right now. For old time’s sake.”

Louis breathed out, “You can’t do that anymore.”

Zayn furrowed his eyebrows. “Why not?”

“I’m engaged.” Zayn’s eyebrows pinched together even more. “Engaged in what?” he asked. Louis rolled his eyes fondly at his confusion and pulled out the black box. He opened it with an indentation of a missing silver band. “I proposed to Harry today.”

It was Zayn’s turn for his eyes to widen comically. “What?” He looked at the box in his hand to Louis’ smiling face. “What!” he repeated, his voice lifting up on an octave.

“You cheeky little minx!” He gripped him in a bone crushing hug and pressed him to the edge of the table. Louis staggered backwards, the sharp end of the table digging into his spine. He couldn’t be bothered to be mad about it when Zayn was laughing in his ear happily. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Calm down,” Louis laughed, pushing him away. “I literally came back from seeing him. You’re the first to know.”

“Oh my god!” Zayn laughed louder and pulled him in a tight hug again. “I can’t wait to tell Liam I’m gonna sleep with a married man!”

Louis groaned just as the door opened. Liam and Niall walked in with confused expressions. It wasn’t often that they bumped into Louis and Zayn laughing openly together. Usually they were scheming pranks and laughing quietly in the back of their hands.

“Louis popped the question to Harry today!” He pointed at him, his laughing face squished to his cheek.

“Popped what question?” Liam asked dumbly.

Niall’s mouth hanged open. He dropped his coat and ran to Louis, surprise attacking him. He flung his body towards him and tackled him to the floor, squeezing his ribs tightly. Louis panted out, “Help,” from the floor as Zayn explained to Liam about the exciting news.

Louis was getting married.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis held him in a bone-crushing hug. He held on to him as if he was going to lose him forever and time was running away. He supposed it was true. Harry was leaving to university two hours away. Louis was going to stay and continue teaching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title comes from the song Sweet Annie by Zac Brown Band. Disclaimer: This is a work of complete fiction. None of this is real, nor did it happen.
> 
> This is the longest chapter ever! Over 5k words! So get ready to read some drama, because this is what the story has been leading up to. This is the start of a hellish ride. I hope y'all don't get mad at me too much. As far as warnings are concerned, there's a bit of blood in this one? I dunno, I tried to not make it too violent. Whoops. I'm revealing too much. Does anybody even read these notes? Oh, whatever. Leave your comments down below on what you think will happen next and I'll get back at you! I love reading your guys' comments and replying, it's what keeps me motivated. Happy, dramatic reading lovelies!

Louis was the happiest man in the world. He thought he couldn’t be happier, besides the day of his wedding, and everything just seemed hopeful and promising. He woke up in time for once, literally jumping out of bed and taking a long, steaming shower. He made himself some tea while he cooked egg on toast and skipped to his bedroom to change. He wore his black trousers and white button up, school clothing policy and all, but switched up his outfit by combining it with a patterned, brightly colored tie. He smoothed down his hair, spritzing a little bit of hairspray to fluff it up, and wore matching patterned socks.

When the kettle whistled announcing that his tea was ready, he padded over and hummed a happy tune, wiggling his bum back and forth. Instead of eating in silence like he usually did, he plugged in his phone into the speakers and jammed out to Justin Timberlake. He and Harry were planning a nautical themed summer wedding filled with fireworks and the works and he was counting down the days until he could call his husband Harry Tomlinson.

He drove to school whistling all the way and even parked in his favorite parking spot. The world was on his side finally. He jogged up the school steps and walked to his classroom, Susan pinching his bum as she passed by him. He laughed giddily and opened the door, flicking the lights on and sitting down at his desk.

He sipped his tea and grimaced. It needed more milk. He grabbed his to go mug and made his way to the teacher’s lounge, whistling happily. His whistles stopped when he saw he wasn’t the only one there. Sebastian was bent over while he grabbed the carton of milk from the fridge. He turned to him and avoided his eyes. He poured milk in his coffee, the milk blooming outwards like flower petals.

“Hey,” Louis said, cautiously.

“Hey,” Sebastian replied, his eyes flitting to him briefly.

“Um. Whenever you’re done with the milk you can hand it over.”

“Oh. So I can’t get milk either, now?”

Louis’ eyebrows pinched together. He stammered, “Um, n-no. That’s not what I meant. My tea needs more milk.”

Sebastian propped his mouth open, his eyebrows raising high. “Oh. Sorry. Here.”

Louis accepted the milk. He poured milk in his tea and handed it back. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

When Sebastian didn’t say anything else, Louis nodded at him and turned around, heading for his classroom. Sebastian reached out a hand to stop him. “Hey. Wait.” Louis turned at the sound of his voice. He looked at his face, his expression blank. “Yes?”

Sebastian uttered a long, suffering sigh. “I’m sorry about the letter.”

Louis accepted his apology. Quietly, he said, “That’s okay.”

“I didn’t mean to come off so bold.” Sebastian leaned back with the tips of his fingers spread out on the surface of the table. “I shouldn’t have said all those things knowing you have a boyfriend. I understand now that it isn’t in my place to come between your relationship. I don’t want you to think of me as a homewrecker. And if you want to, I do want to go back to being friends. Me and you.” Sebastian flicked his hand between them. “Like you said…We get on really well.”

Louis fingered the end of his tie. He was at a loss for words. He wasn’t accepting a long apology from Sebastian this morning. He guessed the world _was_ really on his side. Louis crinkled his eyes in a smile and extended his hand out in a silent agreement.

Sebastian’s face broke out in a smile and shook his hand. As Louis was pulling away, he gripped his hand tighter and pulled him to his chest. Louis muffled out an, “Oof,” his head falling on his shoulder. Sebastian hugged him warm, mumbling, “I missed you. My days have been so boring without you.”

Louis pulled away and pinched his cheek. “Oh, the things you do to my ego.”

Sebastian laughed and pawed him away. They exchanged secret smiles, both men picking up their cups of liquid, coffee for Sebastian and tea for Louis. They sipped in silence, the air around them feeling lighter than when Louis first walked in.

“Nice tie,” Sebastian commented, his smiling eyes peeking out over the rim.

“Thanks.” Louis tugged on his tie loose.

As he was leaving, he turned around. He raised his eyebrow, Sebastian mimicking the motion. Puffs of air exhaled through Louis’ mouth. “By any chance, are you going to the Valentine’s dance tonight?”

“Of course. I have to.” Sebastian bit his lip, the cushion of his pillowy lip protruding outwards. “I’m chaperoning.”

“Cool. I’ll see you there.”

“Hey Louis.” Louis looked over his shoulder. Sebastian openly checked him out, his gaze trailing upwards to land on his face. A shy smile worked over his face, licking his lips wet. “Just letting you know, I’m not sorry about the things I said. I still fancy you quite a bit, boyfriend or no boyfriend.”

Louis’ mouth parted open on a stuttered breath. It seemed like he stepped forwards with Sebastian only to move two steps back. Sebastian sipped his tea, his eyes lowering down to his lower half of his body. Wordlessly, he left the teacher’s lounge, feeling Sebastian’s burning gaze on his arse all the way to his classroom.

The world was not on his side after all.

. . .

Louis fixed the single rose on his breast pocket. He looked over himself in the mirror and smoothed his comb through his hair once more. His hair was swept artfully to the side, his long fringe combed back and fluffed up high. The longer ends of his hair curled up. He needed to cut it soon. For tonight, he pulled out his Louis Vuitton double breasted navy suit. He wore a sharp, white button up underneath with white cufflinks showing through.

Harry was going to arrive at any second now. Louis felt nervous like the first time he picked him up on their date. They had climbed inside his caravan and spilled secrets in the dark. They drank from a red wine bottle without any glasses, exchanging it back and forth to drink directly from the bottle. Louis felt drunk with love. He had cupped Harry’s cheek and leaned in to his red, puckered lips. They breathed in the same air and kissed for what felt like hours. That night, Louis learned about his family and the taste of his tongue. He had carried the warmth Harry gave him all the way home.

Three rapid knocks were heard from the front door. Louis swallowed and reached for it, opening it up wide. Louis stared at him for what felt like minutes. Harry smiled and kissed him on the cheek, his hand pressed to his waist.

“Hi,” he whispered.

“Hi,” Louis echoed numbly.

Sometimes Louis was struck by Harry’s beauty. It wasn’t as if he forgot how beautiful he was, it’s just that Louis thought he was the luckiest man alive just by standing next to him. Harry was decked out in all black. The lapels of his suit were velvet as were his trousers. The suit hugged him tight, showing off his slim body and curves. Louis wanted the privilege to undress him.

“I bought us some wine,” Harry murmured, his lips pressed to his ear.

Louis shivered. It was as if Harry was asking him to have sex right then and there. He pulled away and took the bottle from Harry’s hands, turning it and inspecting the brand. “You bought us some Vinium Oaked Chardonnay. Wow.” He widened his eyes, Harry smiling and thumbing his cheek.

“Only the best for my baby.”

“What’s the occasion?” Louis asked, his eyes sparkling with mirth.

Harry shrugged off his suit jacket, twirling around. He discarded his suit jacket on one of the kitchen stools. He raised his eyebrows flirtatiously. “Can’t I do something nice without expecting anything in return?”

“Ah.” Louis bounced the wine bottle in his hands. He looked up at him, his own eyebrow arched. “So you’ll be fine if we don’t have sex tonight?”

The smooth player charisma was gone. Harry was back to his dorky, awkward self, his mouth parting open on a, “Uh. Um.”

Louis rolled his eyes, saying, “C’mon,” with smiling lips and tugged him to the bathroom.

Five minutes and one quick blowjob later, Louis walked out of the bathroom with shining lips. He rubbed his hand over his mouth and picked up Harry’s suit jacket. “Harry, hurry up. We don’t wanna be late.” Harry followed him dazed, his eyes literally the equivalence of heart eyed Emojis. “You’re…You’re incredible,” he complimented.

Louis threw him the suit jacket and opened the door, walking out. The suit jacket fell smoothly over his slackened face. “Tell me something I don’t know,” he called out from the stairs. Harry plucked out his suit jacket from his face and stuck his arm in one of the armholes. “Jesus Christ,” he muttered, still a little bit starry eyed. He shut the lights off and locked the door behind himself. He gripped himself through his trousers and groaned quietly. Tonight was going to be a long night.

Louis drove them to the school in a matter of minutes. On the drive over, he held Harry’s hand on the center console, Harry’s thumb absentmindedly running on his skin. He pulled up in the parking lot, watching the school’s windows reflect laser lights in colors of reds, pinks and whites.

“So.” Louis turned towards him, Harry cocking his head to the side. “Topics to talk about, Linda got married again, which is fantastic. I think they’re having it in the summer as well so we’re definitely not invited. Battle of the weddings or something like that. We have a new espresso machine so all the teachers are hooked up on it. Topics to avoid, Natalia got divorced so that’s news. Tom’s kid came out as gay and he’s having a hard time coping with the fact that his only son likes it up the arse.” Harry’s eyes twinkled, his breath fawning over Louis’ cheek. “I think that about sums it up. Got it?”

Harry nodded seriously. “Talk about Linda’s new marriage and the espresso machine. Avoid Natalia’s divorce and Tod’s gay son.”

“Tom,” Louis corrected. “Ah,” Harry said. He pinched the air beside his head with two fingers. “So close.”

“Yup. I think you’re ready. Let’s go before the laser light show finishes.” Harry giggled and climbed out of the car, Louis locking it. They walked to the school hand in hand.

Louis always filled Harry in about the gossip at school because Harry was kind of a people person. The teachers and parents loved him, always running up to him and chatting to him even though he himself wasn’t a part of the staff. They fell in love with him immediately when Louis and Harry first started dating and Harry brought cookies to the teacher’s lounge. It was so bad that whenever Harry came to school, he was swept away by the other teachers and never got to spend time with his boyfriend. Louis was fine with it since the other teachers were nice to him so he could bring Harry by more often.

They walked inside the disgustingly pink gym. They walked underneath a balloon arch, paper cut hearts hanging from the ceiling as well as streamers of red and white. On one side of the wall, there was a table decorated in a pink tablecloth with a bowl of punch and red solo cups. They even splurged on an ice sculpture of two cupid angels. Louis gagged at the cupid angels and hearts plastered on the wall.

“Ugh. Have you ever seen so much pink in your life? It’s like a pepto bismol dance in here.”

“That exists you know. The pepto bismol dance. Look it up on YouTube.”

Louis looked at him disbelieving, shaking his head side to side. “I will never know what you search for in your free time.”

Harry held his hand, lifting it up to his smiling mouth and brushing his lips on his knuckles. The sweet gesture made Louis blush. “Oh, lighten up Lou. I think it looks sweet. And look!” His eyes lit up as he picked up a plate of a dessert with rhubarb. “They even have lemon, poppy and chèvre cheesecakes with rhubarb!”

Harry set the dish down and picked up another delicacy. “Ooh. Strawberry macarons.” He popped it into his mouth and smacked his lips. Louis shook his head in fondness and guided him with a hand on his back to the table of fruit punch. He poured the red liquid in two cups and handed one over to Harry who accepted it happily. Louis hoped there was some pranksters in school that had spiked the punch. He was disappointed when he sipped. Just regular, boring old fruit punch.

He widened his eyes when a sad looking Natalia walked over to the table. He prodded Harry in the ribs gently, signaling him to Natalia. “Work your magic, baby,” he whispered. Harry curved his mouth into a wide smile and greeted her. “Natalia! How are you doing, love? You look gorgeous.” Natalia smiled politely, opening up her arms to hug him. “Harry. It’s so good to see you. How’s school?” Harry smiled down at her and spun her around, his shining eyes twinkling at Louis over his shoulder. “Well Natalia, it’s been great. But tell me about you. How’s everything? How are the kids?”

Louis giggled to himself. While Harry was busy talking to Natalia, Louis was killing time. He was watching his students dance and wiggle their hips to whatever new dance was trending. He was soon feeling bubbly from the amount of punch he consumed. He clutched his stomach, his belly growling in return. Harry came back with his arm slung around Natalia’s shoulder. “Remember that you are a strong, independent woman that don’t need no man,” he finished saying.

“Oh, Harry.” She sniffed. She wiped at her eyes and patted him on his chest lightly. “You’re so sweet. I wish you were my husband.”

Harry laughed and lightly pushed her away. Natalia walked up to Louis and pinched his cheek, a little too harshly and slurred, “You better take good care of this one. He’s a good, innocent boy.”

Louis looked over to Harry who smiled sheepishly in return. The sight of Harry arching his back on the sink and screaming obscenities flashed across his mind. Rosy lips, flushed cheeks, heavy cock. Yeah, he was innocent alright. Louis pressed his lips and nodded. “Will do ma’am.” With that, she stumbled away into the masses of students grinding against each other.

“You mentioned the divorce,” Louis said dryly when Harry sidled up next to him.

“Yeah, well.” Harry shrugged his shoulders, all of a sudden looking coy. “I thought maybe she could use a bit of encouragement. Some words of support.”

“Harry Styles,” Louis said, his eyes crinkled. “I’m going to take care of you real good tonight.”

“Louis!” Harry clamped a hand over his mouth. He pressed his smiling lips to his hand, feeling Louis’ lips pucker on his palm. “You can’t get me all hot and bothered in public.”

Louis licked his hand, Harry laughing and pulling it away. He wiggled his eyebrows ridiculously. “Oh, can’t I?”

He turned Harry’s body around so that his back was facing the crowd. He palmed him through his trousers, Harry involuntarily gasping. Louis licked his lips seductively and pressed firmer. Hot anticipation crawled up his neck, making his cheeks flush. Louis bit his lip and gripped Harry’s clothes covered cock, feeling him harden under his touch.

“Louis…” Harry whined. He closed his eyes and lolled his head on his neck. “Please.”

“Hmm. What’s that baby boy?” Louis checked his surroundings to make sure no prying eyes were watching them. He slipped his hand inside and gripped his cock properly. “You want me to take care of you?”

Harry simply groaned and bucked up his hips. Louis knew that besides the risk of getting caught, Harry loved doing sexual activities in public. He would get riled up so much that he would come just from a few, sharp tugs. Louis took out his hand, Harry fluttering his eyes open and whined. Louis shushed him and licked his palm twice, shoving it back in his trousers. Harry moaned louder, his eyes falling shut again.

“Shhh,” Louis coaxed. “Do you want us getting caught?”

The revelation only caused Harry to throw his head back, a moan pulling out from his throat. Louis eyed his throat and pressed his lips, murmuring, “God you’re so fucking beautiful like this. So submissive.” Harry whined and pushed his hips to Louis’ hot palm. He thumbed his slit and spread the precome across the length. He held him again and started tugging him in quick strokes.

Louis saw movement out of the corner of his eye and his hand stopped. He ignored Harry’s whine and looked over his shoulder. Sebastian. He pulled out his hand quickly and wiped his fingers on his trousers, precome stained white against the black material. “Fuck,” he cursed, grabbing pink napkins and dabbing it on the stain.

Harry’s eyes fluttered open. He frowned at Louis and adjusted himself in his trousers so his bulge wouldn’t be noticeable to the public eye. “Lou,” he said, his voice low. He tugged on his arm to get his attention, Louis finally wiping his trousers clean as best as he could manage. “Not now. He’s coming,” he brushed him off.

“Who?” Harry turned around and saw a man walking towards him. His eyebrows raised to his hairline in acknowledgment. “Oh. Tod. I mean Tom. Got it.”

“No,” Louis argued. He threw the used napkin over his shoulder and straightened out his suit. “Seb…astian.”

Harry’s eyebrows pinched as Sebastian came closer. His fists clenched without his own accord, his body prickling with heat. Whereas his cheeks were flushed with pleasure before were now flushed with pointed anger. He cracked his knuckles as Sebastian approached them.

“Hey, Lou.”

Harry narrowed his eyes at the nickname. Louis only ever let close friends call him Lou. Apparently Louis hadn’t filled him in all the gossip of the school. He watched with flaming eyes as they shook hands and enveloped each other in a one arm hug. Sebastian clapped his back and pulled away, his hand lingering on his arm. He dropped it as soon as he saw Harry glaring.

“Hello. Harry, I presume?”

Harry swiped his tongue inside his lower lip. His nostrils flared, his whole face fuming. He gripped Sebastian’s hand in a handshake, his firm tight. “You presume right.” They shook hands for several, uncomfortable seconds. Sebastian pulled his hand back first, his fingers wiggling. “Ah,” he laughed. “Firm grip.”

Harry’s eyes were scrutinized in a scowl. Louis nudged him with his elbow, his eyes confused. Harry bit his lip and smiled, showing off his sharp little teeth. He laughed dryly and flicked his hand in the air for a beat.

“It’s not every day I meet men who hit on my boyfriend openly.”

“Harry,” Louis scolded, shocked.

Sebastian looked between them, wincing. He seemed caught off guard by the hostile tone of Harry’s voice. It prompted for Harry to smile mischievously, snarling out, “Oh, I’m sorry. I said boyfriend. I meant fiancé.” He brought up his hand and wiggled his ring finger, showing off the silver band.

Sebastian parted open his lips. Harry followed the motion of his Adam’s Apple bopping with his hard swallow. Sebastian licked his dry lips and flitted his eyes to Louis. Louis looked down and avoided his gaze. Harry felt angrier at their secret body language. He wrapped his arm around Louis’ waist possessively.

“Maybe you’ll be invited to the wedding if you’re such a close friend. Right, _Lou_?” He placed emphasis on the nickname, looking over to Louis.

“Um.” Louis pulled away, one hand tucked around his stomach and the other rubbing the back of his neck. “I need to use the loo. Drank too much punch.” He turned around and walked rapidly to the men’s restroom, leaving Harry and Sebastian alone.

Sebastian looked after him and turned around, Harry’s eyes shooting daggers at him. He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked around, clearly uncomfortable. Harry snickered at his uneasiness and crossed his arms against his chest, his right eyebrow raising high. Sebastian made eye contact with him, remaining motionless.

“So Sebastian…” Sebastian looked up at the mention of his name. He nodded slowly, Harry staring intently at him. He held the heat of a thousand suns in his glare. “How long have you known Louis, my fiancé, for?”

Sebastian swallowed, his throat feeling dry. He glanced down at the band wrapped around Harry’s finger and looked up again at Harry’s humorless face. He couldn’t believe Louis didn’t tell him.

“Um. Just a couple of months when I first started teaching here.”

“So you think he’s attractive? Cute? Hot? Sexy? Which one is it?”

Sebastian fingered the tie around his neck. He thumbed over his shoulder, pointing at the restrooms where Louis disappeared minutes before. “Should we just wait until Louis comes back?”

“No.” Harry jutted his chin upwards. His eyes were still narrowed, a blush spreading over his cheekbones. “You like him? How much?”

“N-No.” Sebastian rolled on the balls of his feet. “Did Louis tell you that? Because I cleared it up this morning.”

“Oh, you did?” Harry sneered. He lifted his sleeves up to his elbows, intertwining his fingers together. “What exactly do you and Louis talk about?”

“Bloody hell. Is this some kind of intervention?”

“You’ve got jokes now. Funny. I see why Louis likes you.”

Sebastian’s eyes lit up. He cracked a smile, so miniscule Harry almost missed it. “Louis told you that?”

Harry scrutinized his eyes even farther, if that was possible. “ _No_.”

At that moment, a man walked up to Harry, his arms outreached. Harry was taken aback and smiled quickly, his expression smoothing out. Sebastian frowned at them as the man embraced him in a close hug and whispered something in his ear. Judging by the way Harry curled in on himself and blushed, it was something inappropriate. Sebastian caught a glimpse of the man patting his bum and brushing past him. Harry laughed breathily and carded his fingers through his curly locks. He noticed Sebastian’s gaze and dropped his hand, his smiling lips thinning out.

“You know what?” Sebastian came closer, his lip snarled over his teeth. “You don’t deserve him.”

“What?” Harry asked, his eyebrows knitting together.

“I said, you don’t deserve him. He’s in the restroom taking a piss and you’re out here flirting with other men.”

Harry tugged on his suit self-consciously. He pursued his lips, his nostrils flaring with a new, angry emotion. “What do you know about Louis? What do you know about what he does and doesn’t deserve?”

Sebastian growled in his face. He was so close that their noses were almost touching, their breaths the same. He jabbed a pointy finger in Harry’s chest. “I know how he likes his tea. Milk and no sugar. I know that he’s passionate about teaching, so much that he doesn’t mind teaching English first period even though it’s not his job to do so. I know that he cares about other people. I know that he’s the kindest, sweetest, most genuine person I’ve ever met. I know all of this because I’ve been with him all this time while you fucked off to university and left him alone. I know that you’ve been missing out. Hell, I bet Louis had to fill you in about the details of his life because you never bothered asking him!”

Harry raised himself on his tippy toes so that he was looming over Sebastian. He spat in his face, “Fuck you man. You don’t know anything about me or him. About us. You don’t know how he looks in the morning when he wakes up with messy hair. You don’t get to see him in the mornings. I do. And even if you talk to him all day, he goes home with me. He talks to _me_. He kisses _me_. He fucks _me_. And he does a real good job of it too.”

Sebastian got even closer, his face inches away from Harry’s. His voice was low and intimidating, his tone brisk and harsh as it cut through the thick air. “I don’t care about any of that because while you go to university, he will come to me. You may talk to him over the phone or text him, but I get to see his smiling face. I get to hear him laugh, get to make him laugh. While you can’t even reach him because he’s too busy being with me. You may enjoy tonight or however how long you stay, but soon you’ll leave and he’ll come to me.”

Sebastian clicked his tongue, shaking his head. “Four years is a long time, Harry. Who knows what can happen in that time? Maybe I’ll get to kiss Louis again.” Harry fumed with anger, jealousy, hatred. He clenched his fists as Sebastian’s lips curled into a malicious smile. “Did Louis tell you that? About that night we kissed?” He puckered up his lips and made a smooching sound, mocking him. “His lips tasted so sweet. Like strawberries.”

Even though Harry knew they didn’t kiss, he couldn’t help but be enraged in fury. Hatred made his body flush, made his toes curl, made his lips snarl. He gritted out, “Fuck you, you fucking arsehole,” and fisted his shirt, pushing him harshly. Sebastian staggered backwards, the taunting smile on his face wiped clean. He took heavy breaths and lunged at Harry.

The students and teachers noticed their brewing fight and surrounded them, even a lady in the back screaming. Sebastian winded back his arm and released it. _Crack!_ His fist came in contact with his face, punching him square in the jaw. Harry was blown backwards with the hit, covering his mouth with his hand. He pulled away to reveal blood on his fingers, gooping down to taint his engagement band. He wiped his nose, smearing blood across his cheek.

He attacked Sebastian and tackled him to the floor. The people closed in on them, some students whipping out their phones to record the fight or take pictures. The teachers had signed a specific contract that they couldn’t break up fights so they held back, pulling back the students from getting too close. Harry and Sebastian jostled on the ground, Harry elbowing him in the face. The principal and two security guards ran to the scene, shoving past people to get to the crime.

Even though Harry was on top, Sebastian quickly smacked him across the face, resulting in Harry falling to the floor. Sebastian was stronger and taller, straddling him and blowing a fist to his face. _Crack! Crack! Crack!_ Harry tried to cover his face with his arms but Sebastian was too powerful. He gripped his forearms and punched him again and again. Somewhere in the distance Natalia screamed.

Harry’s eyes were closing shut. His face started to feel numb, his arms falling away. He blinked several times, blotches of red and black flashing under his eyelids. The last thing he saw before he blacked out was Louis running behind Sebastian. He jumped on top of him and gripped his neck in a choke hold.

“Get off him you fucking maniac!” he yelled, his voice strained.

Sebastian fell to the floor at the sound of Louis’ voice. Louis was too worried about Harry’s wellbeing that he didn’t attempt to hit Sebastian. Sebastian watched Louis crawl up his body and cup his cheeks. Tears slipped down his cheeks, Louis hiccupping and gasping out, “Baby boy. Harry. Hazza. Please.”

Sebastian hurt just watching Louis hurt. He never meant to see him cry like this.

Louis went from cupping his cheeks to tugging on the lapels of his suit. He was choking out strangled sobs, tugging him and crying out, “Baby don’t do this. Don’t you dare fucking leave. Not again. Not forever.” He climbed off him and picked Harry’s head to rest on his lap. He smoothed out his hair and tried to swipe the drying blood clean off his cheeks and nose. He rasped out, “Harry. Harry. Please. Open your eyes baby. I’m here. I’m here. I’m not leaving until you wake up. Hazza. C’mon baby boy. You’re okay.”

Sebastian stood up, dusting off his knees. The principal and two bodyguards finally emerged from the crowd. One of the buff bodyguards grabbed Sebastian and looped his hand through his arms, gripping him tight. He guided him out with a firm hand on his shoulder. As he was passing by, Louis looked up at him with red rimmed, watery eyes. He gritted out, “You fucking did this to him. Are you proud of yourself?”

Sebastian looked over Harry’s sprawled body, red painted on his face and clean suit. He looked at Louis next, at how he cradled Harry’s head gently, at his angry face, at his blue crying eyes. He bit on his tongue and hung his head down. He never meant to hurt him. Hurting Louis was never in his intentions.

The principal took one look at Harry and Louis and shook his head. “Call the ambulance,” he ordered, one of the teachers taking out their phone to dial 911.

Louis cried quietly while students and teachers murmured around them. Harry sputtered out a dry cough, spitting blood everywhere. “Harry,” Louis said, his eyes widening. Harry fluttered his eyes open to look up into Louis’ wet eyes. They were _so_ blue. His long lashes were clumped together by tears, the white in his eyes replaced by redness. “Louis,” Harry said, his voice raspy. Louis hugged him and peppered kisses all over his cheeks, nose and mouth. He didn’t mind the blood all that much. Harry murmured, “Hurts Lou,” while Louis continued kissing him.

The ambulance arrived fifteen minutes later. Louis climbed in the back with Harry and held his hand tightly while the nurses hooked up a ventilator machine to his nose and mouth. Puffs of warm air exhaled in the plastic clear covering. Harry blinked up at Louis with his impossibly green eyes, vibrant in the dim light. Louis stroked his hair, a calming presence for Harry even though the nurses around them were rushing around and checking his heartbeat.

Louis pressed his forehead to his cheek, his own heartbeat slowing down at the sounds of Harry’s even breaths.

“I’m going to take care of you Harry. I’m always going to be here.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis held him in a bone-crushing hug. He held on to him as if he was going to lose him forever and time was running away. He supposed it was true. Harry was leaving to university two hours away. Louis was going to stay and continue teaching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title comes from the song Sweet Annie by Zac Brown Band. Disclaimer: This is a work of complete fiction. None of this is real, nor did it happen.
> 
> This is my shortest chapter yet! I think it's because the last chapter was my longest and my fic needed to balance it out. This one is a little bit of a breather. We continue on with Louis' life and some may or may not be happy with Sebastian's appearance, hehe. As we climb down the climax, the story will start to unwind and you'll see a glimpse of Louis' and Harry's tumultuous love life.

Sebastian’s hard blow to his face resulted in Harry having a nasal fracture. After a couple of days in the hospital and his surgery, Harry was drugged up and taken home. The doctor advised Louis for him to rest for a week and take his meds. Also, to intake lots of liquids, especially soups and to stay hydrated. Louis was just happy he could finally take him home and properly take care of him.

After the boys left him flowers and store bought get well soon cards, Harry was tucked into bed. He was cocooned in several fluffy blankets while Louis puttered around in the kitchen, making him some tomato basil soup. He was rubbish at cooking but he found a fairly decent recipe online. When Louis was carefully cradling the soup in his hands and blowing on the steam, he found Harry crouched on the edge of the bed, his head hanging low.

“Hey.” Louis set the soup down on the bedside table. “I made you some soup. What are you doing up? You’re supposed to be resting.”

He went to tuck him back into bed but Harry flinched harshly. Louis narrowed his eyes in confusion. “Um.” He licked his lips, looking at the top of Harry’s head warily since his face was covered. “I brought you your medicine and a bottle of water.” He set the pills and the bottle of water down next to the soup and leaned back against the wall, patting his thighs patiently.

Harry looked up slowly. Louis grimaced at the sight of him. After his surgery, they had taped a white strip to his nose so he could breathe better. He had dark, purple circles under his eyes and the side of his lips were bruised. Louis couldn’t even touch him because it hurt too much.

“What’s this, Louis?” Harry flicked the letter in the air. It wasn’t until then that Louis noticed it right away. Sebastian’s letter.

“Um.” Louis swallowed past the tightness in his throat. “Just a letter.”

Harry pursued his lips. He frowned and unfolded the letter, his eyes skimming over the words. Louis wanted to snatch it out of his hands before he saw who it was from. But it was too late. Harry’s eyes narrowed as his eyes flickered over the crinkled paper, his nostrils flaring.

His elbow was hanging off his knee, his hand propped up on his other knee. He cleared his throat and began reading. _“Again, I am very knowing of your boyfriend. But Louis, he isn’t here and I am. The universe put us together for a reason. I want to risk everything for you. I am gonna give it a shot because your boyfriend is a goalkeeper, and I will be the one that scores a goal.”_

Louis bit his lip. It sounded worse coming from Harry’s mouth. When Harry looked up at him again, his eyes were flaming. He looked furious. He wrinkled his nose in that way he did whenever he was upset or worse, angry. He jutted out his bottom lip, his eyebrows pinched together. Louis wanted to brush his thumb across them and smooth them out.

“I was looking in your bedside table because I was feeling better, you know? I wanted to surprise you ‘cause I missed you. All of you. And instead of finding the lube and condoms I found this.” He lifted up the letter, shaking it in the air. “What exactly is this?”

Louis gnawed on his lower lip. His hands started to get clammy from sweat when he rubbed them up and down his thighs. He opened his mouth to speak but found out no words. He rubbed the back of his neck and pushed the words out of his throat.

“A letter. From Sebastian.”

Harry’s eyes prickled with tears. He wiped at his eyes furiously and clenched his fist around the letter, the paper crinkling. He was so vehement that he didn’t know what to do with himself. To Louis’ surprise, he folded the letter neatly back into the ripped envelope and threw it in the drawer, closing it shut.

“You know when you’re so mad that you’re calm?” Harry rubbed his neck, looking up at Louis with fiery eyes. “I’m calm Louis. I’m extremely calm.”

“Harry…” Louis extended out his hands to him, pleading. “I meant to tell you about the letter. I really did. But things were getting so good between us and they haven’t been in a while. I just wanted to see you happy.”

“So just because you wanted to see me happy you didn’t tell me about this? You kept it a secret?” Harry asked in disbelief. He shook his head from side to side. “I trust you Louis. If you would have told me this when it came up, I would have laughed it off. We would have laughed together. But you didn’t. And now we’re here.”

Louis didn’t know what to say. He knew Harry was in the right but he had so much pride inside. Yet, all he wanted to do was get down on his knees and beg for forgiveness. He didn’t think Harry would appreciate the sentiment very much.

When Louis made no move to reply, Harry laughed hoarsely. He wiped his fingers across his swollen lips, his smile present but all so wrong. “I’m not mad because he sent you this letter. Hell, I’m not even mad that you didn’t tell me. I’m mad because you kept it. Why did you keep it, Louis?”

Louis remained speechless. Breaths stuttered out of his parted lips. How could he reply to such a question when Louis himself didn’t understand why he kept it? Maybe he meant to show Harry after all, but when he looked at his livid face, he just got _stuck_.

Harry laughed manically. He brushed a hand through his tangled locks. He looked so small in his white t shirt and grey boxers that Louis wanted to lift him up and hug him to his chest. But he knew he didn’t have the privilege to do that anymore. Instead, he watched Harry’s face morph into sadness. No longer was the flame lit inside his eyes or the twisted lips. He just looked sad. Tired. Restless. Louis’ heart clenched when he realized he was the one who did that to him.

“Yeah. That’s what I thought.”

Seconds of uncomfortable silence passed. Louis watched Harry while Harry looked down at the floor. Harry got up from bed in a grimace and limped. Louis reached out to him but Harry stared at him speechless, a flame of hatred briefly incandescing across his eyes. Louis hanged his arms in the air as Harry brushed past him. His hand stopped on the doorknob, looking over his shoulder at Louis and saying quietly, “I’m gonna go back to Pratt and you’re gonna figure things out here. Figure out what you want.” It felt like a slap across his face.

“I want you,” Louis said weakly. “That’s never gonna change.”

Harry shrugged his shoulders in a self-deprecating manner. “You kept the letter Louis. You might want him too.”

Louis reached out a hand to him but Harry closed the door in his face. He listened to the sounds of his feet padding on the floor. A door opened. Closed. Silence. Louis sagged on the bed, his elbows resting on his knees. When he was sure Harry wasn’t going to come back, he sobbed quietly. It seemed like he was doing a lot of that lately. He rubbed his hands over his red face, glaring at the envelope. He grabbed it and crinkled it in his clenched fists.

“Fucking Sebastian.” His knuckles turned white from how hard he was clenching his fingers. “You fucking arsehole. You drive me fucking wild. You ruined everything.”

As Louis ripped the letter to shreds, he climbed back into bed. He slapped the lights off and crawled underneath the covers. He was enveloped in darkness. He squeezed his eyes shut and forced his body to relax. As he was sinking into the mattress and his breathing was getting deeper he thought to himself, _No, Sebastian didn’t ruin everything. It was me._

The morning after, Zayn, Liam and Niall crowded around the locked door. Zayn knocked on the wood repeatedly but to no avail. “Maybe he’s not home,” Niall supplied. Zayn shook his head, his face determined in a pout. “Nah. It’s a Saturday. He’s always home on Saturdays. No worries, I got the key.” He took out the key from his jacket pocket and keyed themselves in. “Doesn’t that bother you Liam that he still has the key? Could sneak in at night and snog him, you know.” “Shut up, Niall.”

The three boys tip toed inside the messy otherwise silent flat. They walked to Louis’ bedroom and saw a lump bundled in sheets. “Bloody hell. It smells disgusting in here.” Zayn’s nose wrinkled, his two fingers pinching it closed. “Must be the soup.” Liam pointed to the bowl of cold tomato basil soup on the bedside table. Niall’s eyes lit up. He made grabby hands at the soup and twirled the spoon around. Zayn and Liam looked at him with raised eyebrows. “Okay. You make sure Louis is not dead and I’ll go in the kitchen and warm this up.” He offered them a thumbs up and padded to the kitchen happily. Zayn and Liam shrugged and turned back to the body enveloped in a fluffy cloud of blankets.

Zayn poked his shoulder through the duvet, whispering, “Lou. Louis.” Liam inspected the room and exhaled out a confused noise when he stepped on paper instead of wood. He picked up bits and pieces of paper and frowned. Zayn picked at the largest strip of paper, reading, “ _Mon amour_. Sebastian’s letter.” Liam nodded, picking up the rest of the scattered, ripped letter. Zayn crawled inside the covers and spooned Louis from behind. He nestled his face in his back and purred. He wrapped his arm around his waist, tugging him closer.

Niall came back with a now hot soup in his hands. He blew on the steam and stirred the spoon around. He raised a spoonful of red goop and shoved it into his mouth. “Ooh, Liam look! Zayn’s finally fulfilling the deal you two have. Sleeping with Louis!” Liam narrowed his eyes at him and glared at the back of Zayn’s head. Zayn wiggled his body further from Louis’ sleeping body. “Sorry,” he mumbled, tugging Liam’s arm down for a kiss. Liam complied, breathy giggles and sucking lips sounding next.

“Yuck. I’m eating over here lads.” Niall walked over to Louis’ side of the bed. He kneeled down and licked the back of the spoon, humming happily. “You hungry, LouBoo?” Louis shifted in his sleep and snuffled. Niall took that as his answer and scooped tomato soup in the spoon, blowing it and bumping it against Louis’ lips. Louis wrinkled his nose. He licked his lips, tasting salty, warm tomato. He blinked rapidly, blue eyes staring back at him. He looked up, blonde ruffled hair. He finally rubbed his eyes, his vision narrowing to Niall and his bowl of soup. Louis licked his lips again. He sat up in bed and looked over to Liam’s body spread out on top of Zayn’s, both men humming and smacking lips. Louis groaned and lifted the corner of the duvet away to hop out.

He padded to the bathroom and turned the lights on, turning the faucet on. He washed water over his face, slapping his flushed cheeks. He patted his face dry and took a look at himself in the mirror. His hair was greasy and limp, blotches of red blooming on his cheeks. His eyes were sagged and red. He exhaled a heavy breath and walked out of the bedroom. He leaned against the doorframe and watched Zayn and Liam make out on his bed, practically dry humping each other and Niall slurping the last spoonfuls of soup. He nodded his head, smiling fondly.

“Who’s up for drinks?”

Niall licked his lips, nodding seriously. Zayn and Liam sucked a hot kiss, Liam looking over his shoulder and smiling at him. As long as Louis had his boys, he could forget about everything that happened in the past twenty-four hours.

“Who knows? I might strip tease to _He’s A Dream_ by Shandi in that Flashdance scene again.”

Niall hooted out a laugh, Liam climbing off the bed as Zayn jumped on him for a piggyback ride. They followed Louis out sharing happy smiles and bantering with each other. Hours later, Louis was ridiculously drunk. Niall had paid a male dancer to strip dance for Louis. His eyes chased his body as the man gyrated his hips on his lap and bent his back wickedly. Louis nursed the beer in his hands, feeling a warm body on top of him. He closed his eyes and imagined it was Harry’s hands who were touching him.

. . .

_Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep._

Louis groaned and rolled over on the bed. He swatted at his phone until it fell and stopped blaring his alarm. He stuck his feet out from under the duvet and sat up. He stretched his toes and rubbed his back. It was Monday morning all over again. Louis dragged himself from bed and did his usual morning routine. It seemed now as if the days were getting repetitive. Wake up, shower, go to school, drive back, eat, sleep, and do it all over again. Usually, he didn’t mind it because he loved his job. But it was missing Harry’s texts and phone calls in the night. It was missing his loud laugh in his ear, or his voice talking about his day. Louis missed him. He didn’t understand what “ _figuring himself out”_ meant as Harry put it, but he guessed he just needed some space to cool down. He only hoped so.

He drove to school and turned off the engine. He rubbed at the itchiness on his neck and looked at himself in the rearview mirror. A mouth shaped bruise was brushed on his skin, painted colors of reds and purples. Louis frowned and rubbed his neck again. He grabbed his rucksack and coat and jogged up the steps of school. He made it just in time to his classroom when the first bell rang.

He went inside and turned the lights on. He sprawled himself on his chair and rubbed his left eye. Today was going to be a long, tiring day. Students filtered in slowly, murmuring quietly. He looked over at their exhausted faces and smiled sadly to himself. It seemed like everyone was dead today. The intercom clicked on and the principal’s voice bellowed out in the speakers. Hushed whispers were exchanged throughout the classroom. Louis let them converse with each other and walked to the door, leaning on the doorway. He shoved his hands in his pockets and watched the late students run to their respective classrooms.

Zayn approached him and bumped his shoulder. “Hey,” Louis said, arching his eyebrows. “What are you doing here? Didn’t you say you had a free first period?” “I do.” Zayn nodded. He handed Louis over a warm mug of tea. “Figured you could use some since you got home so late. Liam woke me up with a morning blowie so I’m feeling quite satisfied and alert.” Louis snorted and opened the cap, chugging down the tea and scalding his tongue in the process. “Careful,” Zayn laughed, prying the mug away from his mouth. “It’s hot babe.” “Yeah, no kidding.” Louis wiped his hand across his slicked mouth.

He saw Sebastian coming out of the classroom with a carton box of his belongings, a potted plant nestled on top. Louis’ eyebrows pinched together. Sebastian walked past him and avoided his eyes, his head bent low. A security guard escorted him out of the school. Other teachers were lingering in the hallway, murmuring to each other not so secretively.

“What’s going on?” Louis whispered. “Didn’t you hear?” Zayn quirked his head to the left, his voice lowering in volume. “He was fired over the fight he and Harry had. Even though Harry was the one who hit him first, Sebastian was the one who got in trouble. Besides, Harry doesn’t even work here. The principal said it was disorderly conduct or something like that. Especially since he punched him in front of the students. Parents were shocked. The phones haven’t stopped ringing all morning from their complaints.”

Louis’ mouth parted open in apprehension. Normally, he would have hugged Sebastian goodbye and told him to keep in touch but seeing as that he was the one at fault for Harry and Louis’ fight, he couldn’t help but feel grateful for his departure. Even though Louis still had his own wrongs, Sebastian was mainly the reason why everything was messed up in the first place.

“Hey,” Zayn murmured in his ear. “What happened that night?”

“What do you mean?”

“Like, I wasn’t there but I saw the fight on a recorded video. Sebastian was punching the shit out of him and you were nowhere in sight. It wasn’t until Harry passed out that you came and threw him off. It was brutal.”

Louis flinched at his words. He blamed himself for not being there to avoid the situation. Maybe if he hadn’t run off to the loo, he would’ve prevented the whole thing. “Ah. I went to the loo.”

“I’m sure you weren’t pissing the whole time.”

“No.” Louis swallowed, a knot forming in his throat. “I was feeling a bit wired out so I went outside to smoke for a bit. I saw them and they seemed fine, just two lads talking, so I didn’t feel weird to leave them alone. I rushed back inside when I heard what sounded like Natalia scream.”

“Well,” Zayn said, his voice somber. “Harry needed you there. He had no chance against Sebastian.”

“Yeah, no shit.” Louis cringed. The memory of Harry’s bloody face burned brightly. “Harry’s a lover, not a fighter.”

Zayn hummed in his throat. He thumbed Louis’ neck, covering his bruise. He whistled lowly, Louis’ eyes flitting to his surprised face.

“What?” he asked, self-consciously rubbing his neck and hiding the mark.

“If Harry saw that now, he would be furious,” he commented.

“What do you mean?”

“That male stripper last night? He did a number on you. Not only did he dance on you for an hour straight, he kissed you,” Zayn flicked his finger on his neck, Louis scrunching up on instinct. “There.”

“It’s just a bruise.”

“That’s no bruise mate. I know a hickey when I see one.”

Louis stared at him in surprise. He continued rubbing his neck until he knew the skin was red. He wanted to scratch if off. To get the mouth shaped mark off because it wasn’t shaped like Harry’s lips. It wasn’t the male stripper’s territory to claim. Zayn scanned his face, walking backwards. “See ya later, Lou.” He turned around and left the building.

Louis sighed, whispering, “See you later.” He walked back inside and sat at his desk. He entwined his fingers together, putting on a smile for show. “Since we finished _Wuthering Heights,_ the school wanted me to direct a play. And since I am a drama teacher after all, I chose you guys as my actors.” The students looked at each other, bewildered. Louis waved his hands in the air, shushing them when they started to get loud. “Now I know you all aren’t in my drama class but I believe in you. Ever since you guys acted out your dialogues, I am a firm believer that you all have what it takes. I’m taking a chance on you.”

The classroom erupted in surprised laughs and nervous cheers. Some hands shot up in the air while others simply called for his attention. Louis smiled at them. If there was one thing that dissolved all his problems away and made him feel better, it was his students.

This, Louis could do. This, he had it all figured out.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis held him in a bone-crushing hug. He held on to him as if he was going to lose him forever and time was running away. He supposed it was true. Harry was leaving to university two hours away. Louis was going to stay and continue teaching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title comes from the song Sweet Annie by Zac Brown Band. Disclaimer: This is a work of complete fiction. None of this is real, nor did it happen. 
> 
> It's 4 am and this chapter is 4k words. Coincidence? I think not! Anyways, I'm so sad because this is the second to the last chapter. I intended it to be a short story but this fic just blossomed and you guys loved reading it as well as I loved writing it! I think I ended this chapter on a sweet note. Now that we're here what do you guys think will happen in the next chapter? Will Larry get married? Will Sebastian come back? Will Larry reunite? Will Niall stop eating? Stay tuned loves!

_Harry was bright and beautiful in the mornings._

_His voice was rough and rugged with sleep, his clean skin warm. His smile was red and blinding, his eyes bright and alert._

_Louis loved him best in the mornings._

_Maybe it was because he got to roll over and watch him sleep, or startle awake with Harry prodding his ribs, but he loved him best in the mornings. He loved him every minute of every day but in the mornings Harry was quiet and thoughtful. In his sleep he would roll over and his lips would bump Louis’ shoulder and Louis would just smile and cup his cheek. In the mornings, Harry was just his, because throughout the day everybody loved him. Everybody wanted to chat him up and steal him away from Louis and Louis could do nothing but watch him walk away, Harry throwing him a shy smile over his shoulder. In the nights, he would come back to him and curl up in his chest. And in the mornings, Harry was his all over again._

_Maybe it was because Harry was next to him in the mornings. In bed, where they shared smiles and murmured I love you’s and groaned and moaned. Where Louis got to wreck him until Harry was a withering mess below him. And in the daylight, Harry was the perfect dream. He was all his. And Louis got to swallow down the words and realize that Harry loved him back. Where reality was finally better than his dreams._

_Or maybe it was moments like this, when Harry was intimate. He was coy as he crawled down Louis’ body as if he hadn’t put his mouth on every inch of him. Louis arched his eyebrow as Harry kissed down to his navel, his tongue swirling around the darkened hair of his groin. And then Harry took him in his hands and properly held him, his thumb rubbing over his salty slit. He curled his lips around the head, sucking him so tenderly. Louis rolled his eyes to the back of his head and grunted. Harry swallowed him whole until he hit the back of his throat. He was obscene. Louis tugged on his hair and arched his back ever so slightly. Harry’s eyes shimmered as he took him in deeper. His tongue flattened on the underside of his cock, prompting Louis’ eyes to flutter shut. He was too much in the mornings._

_“Baby,” Louis moaned. Harry looked up at him through endless rows of eyelashes. He sucked on his head, letting his tongue swirl around the slit. He flicked his tongue up and down like a snake’s slithering tongue. Harry was awkward and clumsy in life, a big dork, but in bed he was smooth and beautiful. An expert. He knew all of Louis’ weak spots and sensitive areas. He learned about Louis’ perks in bed quickly until he mastered them all and Louis was shouting out his name like a sinner._

_Harry tugged him rapidly, his fist clicking with every upstroke. Spit dribbled down his pink lips and down his chin, Louis’ shiny cock bumping his wet lips with every stroke. Harry sucked him in, his mouth doing these incredibly obscene slurping noises in the quiet room. Grunts pulled out of Louis’ stomach, his toes curling. Harry placed a steadying hand on his lower belly, his fingers splaying on his smooth skin. It was like he could feel where Louis’ pleasure was building up. Hot flashes flickered throughout his body, Louis’ arse lifting up the bed._

_Through fluttering eyelids, Louis watched Harry’s head of curls bob up and down. It was mesmerizing as much as watching his cock disappear and appear in and out of Harry’s swollen lips. Harry’s lips tightened around his length in a vice like grip. It made Louis tug on Harry’s hair harshly. Harry’s lips popped off of his cock, gasping out a shuddering moan. His eyes darkened with lust as he put his mouth back on him. The room was filled with wet, sucking sounds. Louis’ hips bucked up involuntarily on the next tug._

_Harry deep throated him, Louis still amazed at the fact that he had no gag reflex. It was just as incredible as finding out he was extremely flexible in bed. Harry’s hot yoga sessions came out mutually beneficial after all. He slurped on his cock, pulling off. He started tugging him with quick flicks. On a particular flick of his wrist, Harry had Louis coming unexpectedly, shooting off his load on his surprised face._

_Sharp breaths exhaled out of Louis’ body. He felt his orgasm wrack through his body, tingles of sensation vibrating down his spine. His chest rose up and down with stuttering breaths. When he regained even, calming breaths, he looked down where Harry was still perched between his thighs. Louis’ eyebrows rose, his voice fluctuating in a high pitch._

_“Harry…”_

_He thumbed his cheek where come was smeared. He tried to keep his face even but he broke, bursts of bubbly laughter escaping past his lips. He clutched his stomach, Harry’s face transforming from initial shock to a poker face._

_“Ha ha,” he deadpanned. He reached over to snatch the towel from underneath Louis’ jiggling bum and wiped it across his face. “Jesus Christ. You got me in the eye.”_

_He removed the towel to show Louis the mess he made. Come clumped his lashes together, painting them white. They looked like a mini snowflake. Louis’ laughter raised in volume. He wiped away at the last remnants of come from Harry’s closed eyelid using the knuckle on his pinky._

_“My little snowflake,” he murmured, even when Harry’s face was flushed and dripping with come._

_Harry cleaned his face and crawled up his body, ribbing his teeth on his nipple. He bit beside his nipple on his skin, knowing it was one of Louis’ sensitive spots. Louis hissed at the pain blooming outwards, a kitten tongue lathing over the mark afterwards. Harry hugged him to his chest with two hands on his arse. He squeezed the meaty flesh between his fingers and smacked him. He envisioned Louis’ arse jiggling with the motion._

_“You’re so fun in bed,” he commented distractedly._

_Louis’ eyes crinkled when he smiled. He pulled him in and seared a hot kiss to his lips. Harry opened his mouth, allowing his tongue to slick inside experimentally. Harry tasted sweet and salty. He smacked him across the arse again, groping his flesh. Louis’ laugh was muffled against Harry’s lips. Their legs tangled together in the sliding sheets, Louis’ leg curling around Harry’s ankle._

_Harry was the best in the mornings._

Louis’ face was squished in the pillow. He grunted out a low moan, his hips shifting on the mattress. His boxers started to feel uncomfortable and slightly sticky for some reason. His eyes fluttered awake. He rolled over on his back, his hand sliding down his bare chest to his groin. He cupped himself through his boxers.

Louis startled awake. He threw the duvet off his body and stared at his middle. His eyes widened like saucers, his hand stilling where he was groping himself seconds ago. There was a damp patch on the fabric. To be sure, he touched himself under his clothing. His cock was aching and leaking. He tugged himself out of his boxers, his thumb pulling back the foreskin. His head was angry red and shiny with precome.

“Fuck,” Louis whispered, his voice harsh.

He had a wet dream about Harry. It was rare considering he wasn’t sex deprived and Harry was usually the one to fulfill his needs, so achingly beautiful and desperate. But he hadn’t talked to Harry in _weeks_ and he was honestly starting to get concerned. Also, he was incredibly horny these days. He didn’t realize how much sex they had until Louis stopped having it.

He padded to his bathroom and flicked the lights on. Cold water splashed on his cheeks, slapping him awake. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, his hands gripping the edges of the sink. Pillow creases littered his cheeks, a blooming red spreading on one side of his face where he was plastered to his pillow. Water raced down his face, drips of water falling on the porcelain sink. _Drip. Drip. Drip._

There was a loud crash coming from the kitchen. Louis whipped his head to the sound, his ears perked. Was it a burglar? Did he have guests last night and simply didn’t remember? Or was he hallucinating from the lack of sleep? He tugged on a wrinkled maroon shirt, undergoing pants, and headed to the kitchen. Murmurs of blended voices raised higher as he got closer.

“Oh for God’s sake Niall!”

He rounded the corner of the hallway, his feet halting. “Sorry, sorry!” Niall apologized, bent over to grab various bowls, pots and pans from the floor. Louis’ eyebrows raised. Zayn was seated at the table, sipping coffee from Louis’ favorite mug and Liam was mixing batter in a large bowl with a whisk.

Louis cleared his throat. All three curious faces looked at him. “Good morning sunshine,” Zayn greeted, his smiling lips pressed to the rim. His eyes scanned him up and down. “Hey Lou,” Liam’s cheery face said. He pointed the bowl to him. “Are you hungry? I’m making some chocolate chip pancakes.” Niall waved at him from his position on the floor, his cheeks full of chocolate chips. He looked like a chipmunk with blonde hair.

Louis waved them all off and sat at the kitchen table. Zayn’s sparkling eyes chased him. Louis covered his hands over his face and muffled out, “What do I have to do to get you people out of here?”

“Aw, Lou,” Zayn cooed, reaching over and pinching his cheek. “You’re so lovely in the mornings. Thanks for having us over.”

“I swear you guys just come here and go as you please.” Louis peeked at them through the gaps of his fingers. “Should start charging you for how much time you spend here.”

“Cheer up, Lou.” Liam’s smile was too bright in the harsh light. He flicked the stove on and spread sizzling butter on a pan, turning his back to him. “Pancakes are coming right up.”

“What if I was gone? Would you have all come in then? Or what if I was in my room having sex with Harry like two sex crazed animals? Would that have made you leave?”

Zayn tsk’ed on the roof of his mouth. He licked his lips, reaching a hand over to his shoulder. He squeezed once. “Yes and maybe. Besides, we all know Harry is at Pratt. Why did he leave so soon anyway? Didn’t he just stay for like three days?”

Louis grimaced. Liam chanced a glance at his scrunched face and shot a warning look to Zayn. “Maybe we should ease off on the questions, babe. We are bothering him after all. Don’t want him to kick us out.”

Louis ran a hand through his disheveled air. He breathed out once, the sounds of pancake batter sizzling on the pan a calming presence. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “S’fine. Harry and I got in a fight before he left. S’why he left so early.”

“Ouch,” Niall called from where he was seated on the floor. He provided no other reply, the smacking of his lips his only response.

“Ouch is right, mate.” Zayn nodded at Niall’s blonde head. He looked over at Louis and bent his head low, searching for his eyes. “What happened? If you wanna tell us of course.”

“Sebastian is what happened.” Louis lifted up his head, looking at Zayn through red, bleak eyes. “Well, not really. I’m an idiot. I kept the letter he gave me.” A gasp was heard from the floor. Niall. “I kind of forgot to tell Harry because things were finally so good between us and I—“ A plate of fluffy pancakes was set in front of him, Liam mouthing, “Sorry,” for interrupting. “Cheers, mate. Um, yeah, things were good between us and I didn’t wanna ruin that. His happiness. So he saw it and things kinda…” He blew a raspberry through his mouth to mimick a blowing sound. “Blew up.” He sliced his pancakes and speared them, lifting it to his mouth. “You know how the rest goes.” He chewed in silence, his pale blue eyes dull.

“Wow,” Zayn breathed. “And?”

Louis’ eyes clouded with confusion. His cheek puffed out with chewed up pancakes. “And what?”

Zayn flicked his hand. He arched his eyebrows as Liam placed his own set of pancakes on the table. “And what happened next? Are you guys talking? Is he coming back?”

“Ah.” Louis pressed his lips shut. He twirled his fork around in the air with speared pancakes. He popped it into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. He swallowed, a drop of syrup stuck on the corner of his mouth. “We’re not talking. End of story.”

Niall whistled. He was still seated on the floor, Liam bending down to hand him over his plate of pancakes with extra cool whip. He hummed happily for a beat and murmured, “Sounds rough mate,” with his mouth full. Louis nodded at the blonde tuft of hair peeking up. “Thanks for the moral support, Ni.” He sliced his pancakes in half and looked over to his right, noticing a pair of unblinking eyes.

“What?” Zayn’s dark eyebrows twitched. He suppressed back a confused smile, Louis lifting the prongs to his lips. His tongue darted out to swipe at the dollop of syrup. “I’m shocked.” Louis hummed, grabbing the glass of milk Liam had previously placed in front of him and swallowed a mouthful. “Why’s that?” Zayn tilted his head from side to side. He watched Louis eat, his own pancakes forgotten. “You love him, don’t you?”

When Louis nodded, Zayn rolled his eyes, leaning so far in that his bum was perched on the edge of his seat. “Then you fix it. Look Lou, I’ve known you to be a romantic your whole life. The first time you and Harry got in a big fight, you came crying to me blabbering, _“He hates me Z,”_ and then the next day you showed up to his house with flowers. You don’t like leaving things on what if’s. Hell, the first time we fought you insisted we stay up all night talking about it than sleeping. It made me never want to get in a fight with you ever again. So what’s stopping you now? Certainly not Sebastian because he’s gone and you’re still sitting in that chair doing absolutely nothing about it.”

Louis’ mouth opened and closed. He looked like a fish blowing bubbles underwater. “Um.” Zayn and Liam looked at him in question, even Niall poked his head up to stare at him. Louis felt the walls closing in on him, suddenly feeling claustrophobic. His breaths were shallow, his chest puffing in and out. He pushed himself away from the table, the chair scraping on the floor.

“Now?” he asked, pale blue eyes looking at Zayn to Liam to Niall then back to Zayn again.

Zayn nodded seriously, Liam and Niall following next. “Okay,” Louis whispered. “Okay!” he said louder. He quickly walked over to his bedroom, closing the door shut and abandoning his half eaten stack of pancakes and milk.

Liam’s mouth gaped in surprise, looking over to Zayn with widened eyes. He looked down at Niall next, saying, “Niall babe, don’t you want to sit on the table with the grownups?” Niall shook his head, his tongue darting out to suck on the prongs of his fork. “Nah. I’m good here.” Liam nudged his big toe on his fuzzy ankle. “Louis didn’t finish his pancakes.” Niall shot up, going over to his seat and pushing the plate to himself. “You know, actually, it’s quite nice up here.” Liam and Zayn shared a knowing smile, their eyes sparking.

Louis paced around the room, fidgeting with his hands. He ran his hands through his hair several times, the back of his hair sticking out in odd directions. He was nervous. He was actually nervous to talk to his boyfriend over the phone. Or his ex-boyfriend? Louis honestly didn’t know at this point.

He plucked his phone from the bed and started dialing Harry’s number. He erased it then dialed again. He paced around the room, his thumb hovering over the call button. Laughs were heard from the kitchen, voices murmuring in the quiet room. Louis bit his thumbnail out of bad habit, his thumb shaking ever so slightly.

He closed his eyes for a beat and clicked the button. The phone rang a few times, Louis getting anxious and pressing the end call button. He scolded himself internally, his hand clenching around the small device. He gripped himself hard through his boxers, wincing. “Where are your balls, man?” he whispered angrily.

A few moments passed. Louis sat at the edge of the bed and dialed Harry’s number one last time. He held it to his cheek and tapped his fingertips on his thigh. The phone rang, slow enduring seconds ticking by. It went straight to voicemail. Louis breathed out shakily. Harry’s familiar voice flowed like lyrics to his ear, recommending to leave him a message and a name.

_Beep._

Louis palmed his thighs, clearing his throat. “Um, hey Harry, it’s me Louis. I just wanted to ask how you’ve been. Things have been kinda weird with us, haven’t they? Well, I really wanna hear your voice. It’s been a while. I’m not even sure if I remember how you sound like.” Louis clenched his eyes closed, his breath stuttering. “Ha-ha. Lame joke. Anyways, call me back when you can. Okay, bye.”

He ended the voicemail. He threw the phone on the bed, the device bouncing on the unmade duvet. He stared at it, waiting. Everything happened for a reason. If Harry was unavailable, that was okay. But if Harry was available and chose to ignore his phone call, that was okay too. Louis would give him all the space in the world as long as they went back to being normal. To being together.

The phone buzzed, sending tiny vibrations crawling up Louis’ back. He stared at it, his mouth wide open, the phone moving slightly on the duvet. His hand shot out to answer it before the call disconnected. He breathed heavily through his nostrils. He accepted the call and pressed it to his cheek.

“Louis.”

Louis’ voice hitched.

It was Harry. Of course, it was Harry, but it still made Louis shudder at the sound of his voice. It’s been so long. Louis missed him so much. He wanted to tell him just as much but he didn’t know where they stood or what he could or couldn’t do. Everything was fucked up.

“Harry,” Louis replied lamely.

“Hi.”

“Hey.”

Harry laughed in his ear. It sounded like sweet honey, dripping from miles and miles away and into Louis’ head. Louis wanted to hear it over and over again. For the rest of his life, actually.

“I miss—I, uh, been wondering how you’ve been so…” A beat passed. “How you’ve been?”

“Good.” Harry cleared his throat. His voice sounded softer, quieter. “Good, yeah. You?”

“Fine. Been better, I suppose.” Louis caught himself, backtracking immediately. “Um. Great. Just great.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Yeah, likewise. Likewise.”

More silence.

“Listen Lou, I was really just calling back. Um, some of the guys, they wanna go out and try out the new bar in town. So…I kind of promised that I would meet up with them there. Um, but it was nice talking—”

No. Harry was not going to leave them on such a bad note. Zayn was right. Louis didn’t leave things off on what if’s. He was going to sit here and talk to Harry whether he liked it or not. They were _not_ going to leave their romance fairytale on a what if. Louis was _not_ going to give up on him.

“Harry,” Louis interrupted, his voice stern. “I swear, if you leave—“

“Sorry, what?”

“Don’t leave.”

“But—Um.” Harry’s voice stuttered. He took a calming breath, air rushing out into the receiver. “What are you talking about?”

“Let’s fight. I don’t care. But I’m not going anywhere until we hash this out.”

“You…” Harry’s voice lifted higher on an octave. “You wanna fight?”

“Yes. And I don’t care. I don’t care Harry if I have to sit here for hours on end and if we’re both crying by the end of the night because I want it all with you. You hear me, baby boy? I want to fight with you, I want to kiss you and someday, in the future, I want to have kids with you.”

Harry exhaled out a hot breath. Louis’ voice rang so clearly in his head. He shook his head slowly, puffs of air escaping his mouth. He looked up at the ceiling and wondered how the hell did he ever deserve someone like Louis Tomlinson in his life. He smiled softly, ribbing his lip between his sharp teeth.

“Okay.”

“What?”

“Let’s fight.”

“I…Okay.”

Louis started off with, “I’m sorry,” Harry pressing the phone to his cheek harder and interrupting, “It’s okay.”

“I’m sorry,” Louis continued. Harry’s eyes narrowed down to the two syllables. His eyes darted on the ceiling, his mouth pursed to the side to comment, “What?” when Louis went on.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

“Wha—What are you doing?”

“I’m saying sorry for every month of the year that I’ve been with you. I would do every day but that’s too much, Harold. One for every month of every year, that’s five years in total. So it adds up to—“ Harry imagined Louis’ closed eyelids in concentration, his eyebrows pinched cutely. He was his little mathswiz with good marks. “Sixty. I’m going to apologize sixty times.”

“Louis, no. That’s…”

But Louis didn’t listen.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

Harry was terribly endeared so he let him repeat his mantra of apologies.

On his thirtieth apology, Louis stopped midword. “You’re not even gonna stop me? That’s sixty apologies, Harry. With two words. That’s like…” Harry closed his eyes again, smiling at the sight of Louis’ mouth pursued while calculating the maths in his head. “One hundred and twenty words. You don’t appreciate the sentiment?” Harry’s smile widened. He shook his head as if Louis could see him. “Nope.”

Louis sighed, “Okay,” and continued. Harry could only imagine how hoarse and dry his throat was. On the last and final apology, Louis gulped in a big breath, exhaling out, “I’m sorry,” in a rush of air.

“Satisfied?”

Louis clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth. “Mmm. Very.”

Harry hummed low in his throat. He mocked, “Mmm,” Louis squawking in response in his ear.

The air was filled with comfortable silence. Harry imagined that both him and Louis had their phones pressed to their cheeks, their smiles matched. He closed his eyes for a beat, Louis’ bright, sunny face flashing across his eyelids, his smile wild and the skin beside his eyes crinkled. He was beautiful.

“I’m so in love with you,” Louis admitted quietly after a few breaths. “I don’t understand it. I’ve never felt this good about anything or anyone.”

Harry sobered up. His eyes searched for Louis’ face in the darkness almost instinctually. They either always had their ‘big momentous talks’ as Louis called it, in the darkness or in the sofa in the living room. Even Harry’s first “I love you” confession to Louis was in bed when it was dark outside.

“It’s like…You’re this incredible being in my life and I’m so goddamn lucky for it. I hope you know I pick you over anyone. Over Sebastian,” he said quietly. Harry’s eyes pricked with tears, Louis’ soft voice resonating in his head. “I’m always going to love you, Harry. That’s never going to change.”

“And I’m sorry. Again,” he added shakily, Harry’s wet laugher filling the spaces in the quiet room. “I’m sorry about everything these past couple of months. I’m sorry that I can’t be there for you when you cry or even when you’re happy. I’m terribly proud of you and it kills me inside knowing I can’t be there to watch you grow into a beautiful flower you’ve always been. My white lilie.”

Harry choked out a wet sob. Louis’ words were so beautiful. Louis was so beautiful. His words were everywhere, plastered on the walls, smudged on the floors, painted on the mirrors in every variety of font and size. Though Louis was miles away, Harry felt him everywhere.

“I love you so goddamn much it hurts. I think about you every second of every day. Of your beautiful face, your curly locks, your clumsy legs.” Harry laughed at that, Louis’ voice growing by the sentence. “I wanna marry you Harry. Not ‘cause it rhymes, but because I want to wake up next to you every morning for the rest of our lives. Even when you snore and drool a little.”

Harry giggled softly, wiping his nose on his sleeve. He murmured out, “I do not,” his smile rubbing on his arm.

“No,” Louis said, just as softly. “You do not.”

Harry fingered the silver band on his ring finger, looping it out. It wasn’t until he ran his thumb along the inside that he felt indentations. He frowned and peered closer. Using the light from his phone, he read the words indented on the band. His breath caught in his throat when his eyes skimmed over the words, _Louis’ words_ , and realized what they meant.

_Always in my heart, Harry._


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis held him in a bone-crushing hug. He held on to him as if he was going to lose him forever and time was running away. He supposed it was true. Harry was leaving to university two hours away. Louis was going to stay and continue teaching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title comes from the song Sweet Annie by Zac Brown Band. Disclaimer: This is a work of complete fiction. None of this is real, nor did it happen.
> 
> After 7K words and we're here, the end! Before I begin my babble of thank you's, I want to point out that in their voicemail/phone call conversation Harry is typically BOLD while Louis is typically in Italics. Great! Let's move on, shall we?
> 
> Thank you for all your support, lovely words, and encouragements! Thank you for kudos, for the hits, and for leaving comments whether it was to point out a mistake or ask me questions about the characters or to tell me how much you loved the story. I greatly appreciated the feedback, in fact, it was what kept me going when I was feeling discouraged. Thank you for taking time out of your day to read my story, since I am a Larrie writer amateur after all, and taking a chance! I'm really proud of this one and I hope you are too.
> 
> Finally, I want to say what a journey it has been! After Zayn's confused feelings, Harry's obliviousness, Sebastian's homewrecking abilities, and Louis' mess of a heart, we have come to the end. It almost makes me want to cry. Who's crying? Not me! *sniff sniff* Remember when I said I wanted to keep this story short? Ha-ha, me too. Anywayyyyys, you all are lovely people. Most importantly, thank you for letting me be who I am and trusting in me that this story ended in a happy ending. With Harry and Louis fucking, the way it was supposed to be. Let me know if you want me to write an epilogue about their happy wedding 'cause I'm definitely finding it hard to say goodbye. Aren't you?
> 
> Lastly, come find me on Tumblr. http://larryvisionary.tumblr.com/ Let's talk.

With the last couple of months of the school year trickling along, Louis and Harry were much too preoccupied with marking and studying for final exams to call each other much less text. After their long conversation that resulted in tears and forever’s, Louis was more than happy with the way their relationship was going. Four years was a long time yes, but they were soon approaching a year in their long distance relationship and if Louis survived a year, then he sure as hell could survive three more. Like he told Harry, he wanted for him to come home the right way and not because he missed him.

Two hours away, Harry was shoving dirty clothes in one of the laundromats. He flicked in two coins and stood back, watching a flurry of colors blur by. He shoved his hands in his pockets, just watching. The laundromat store was fairly deserted with a few people lingering by so Harry pulled out his phone. He dialed Louis’ number and waited for the call to pick up.

He tapped his shoe on the tile anxiously. It went straight to voicemail. Harry frowned and pressed the phone to his cheek and shoulder, his smile faltering.

“Hey it’s Louis. Leave a message.”

“Hi.”

Miles away, Louis was mirroring him like always, trying to reach him. The call cut straight to voicemail. His eyebrows pinched together, raising his rucksack where it was sliding down his shoulder. He jogged down the steps of the school and looked over to see boys running around in the pitch. Harry’s slow-syrupy voice murmured in his ear.

“Hey, this is Harry and I can’t come to the phone right now but please leave a message. And your name too!”

“Hey, it’s me.” He glanced at his watch and looked back up, noticing the sun dipping down the horizon. “It is 5:03.”

The next couple of seconds were Harry and Louis talking to each other on the voicemail, unaware that the other one was on the phone on the opposite line as well.

**“I figured I’d catch you walking to your car but—”**

_“I guess you must be out or something.”_

**“I’ll leave a message.”**

_“Is it me or are we just a little off today?”_

**“I guess it’s just one of those days. It’ll get better.”**

_“Hope you didn’t have any major laundry issues.”_

**“I finished my laundry. Got all my socks. Nothing like that time that crazy guy pushed you.”**

_“Hey do you remember that time I helped you do your laundry and that crazy guy came in and started yelling at you?”_

**“And then remember we went shopping the next day to buy me a washer and dryer?”**

_“And here you are back in laundromat. Now I’m just trying to help you Styles. Be safe.”_

**“You’re probably upset I’m even at the laundromat right now but don’t worry I’m being safe. And I’m headed home. I’m headed to my dorm _not_ home.”**

_“Wish you were home. Anyway.”_

**“Anyway, um. Miss you.”**

_“I miss you.”_

Louis ended the call with a click, figuring that was a good place to finish. By the time he had gotten to the end of his voicemail, he was inside his car, backing out of the parking lot. He started driving home and plugged his iPhone in, Sia’s raspy yet strong voice filling the inside of the car. He arrived home and climbed out, dragging his empty mug of coffee and rucksack. He toed his dress shoes by the door and threw the keys in a small bowl. He rummaged through the kitchen and found nothing worth cooking so he settled for cereal as his dinner. Besides, ever since Harry was gone Louis’ diet consisted of pancakes, egg on toast, cereal and sandwiches. He grabbed his bowl of Frosted Flakes and went to the living room, wrapping himself in a fleece blanket and flicking the telly on.

Thirty minutes later, he startled awake, drool dribbling down his cheek. He sat up and stretched, his joints popping with the motion. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and dragged himself to his bedroom. He did his usual night routine like take a shower and brush his teeth, popping out his contacts. He slid his glasses up his nose and wrote on the steam filled mirror _get new prescription._ He walked to bed with heavy eyes and flicked the lights off, sleep weighing his body heavy.

He plugged his iPhone to charge, a notification brightening the screen up. He swiped across the screen to a new voicemail. Harry. He double tapped on the voicemail and laid back down, crossing his arms under his head.

“Hi. I figured I’d catch you walking to your car but—I’ll leave a message.”

Louis smiled to himself, his eyes darting over the ceiling. Harry’s voice rang true in his heart, his words splaying over the ceiling in bold letters. He let his eyes flicker shut, Harry’s voice soft and low in the quiet room. It was as if he was there next to him, his voice in his ear, lulling him to sleep.

Louis fell asleep that night listening to Harry’s voice with a smile on his face.

. . .

Sunlight filtered in through the windows in large black squares, causing Louis’ hair to look like a sleepy, golden storm. He was lying face down with the duvet covering half his body. He stretched his legs, burrowing deep in the mattress. The thought of it being Friday made him collapse even further. It was the last day before summer began.

Normally, he would be excited for Harry’s arrival since they would spend the whole summer together but seeing as Harry was going to stay in Pratt to retake his class, Louis was unbothered to get up. He rolled over on the bed, taking a deep breath. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. It was time to get up.

As usual, he went through his daily morning routine. He brushed his teeth, took a long hot shower, almost dozed off with shampoo sculpting his hair in a Mohawk and stepped out, foregoing his contacts. He slid his glasses up his nose and ran his gelled hands through his hair. He was leaving it disheveled and his face unshaven, going for that rugged look. Harry always liked him best with scruff because, _“It feels good when you leave burns on my thighs, Lou.”_

He finished his egg on toast and grabbed his to go mug, unlocking the car and stepping inside. He arrived at the school ten minutes later, looking over himself in the rearview mirror one last time. He fussed with his fringe for a bit and walked inside, locking the car behind him.

His school day was nothing but the usual, his class days going by smoothly. The students were talking animatedly with themselves and sharing back and forth their plans for the summer. Louis felt the electricity flutter in the air. He would share the sentiment but he was just going to his empty flat afterwards.

When the last bell rang, the students told him goodbye and he waved them off. He packed up his things and hitched his rucksack on his shoulder as Zayn lightly knocked on his door.

“Knock knock,” he said, his voice lilting. “Heading out?” At Louis’ nod, Zayn added, “I’ll guide you out.”

Louis rolled his eyes fondly, his hand gripping the strap of his rucksack. Zayn smiled at him and squeezed his shoulder. Louis flicked the lights shut and both men walked off, Zayn’s arm slung around his shoulder and guided him outside. They walked in silence with Zayn’s heavy arm draped around his shoulder. Louis was much too tired to shrug it off.

“Hey,” Zayn began. He grabbed both of Louis’ shoulders and stopped him before the exit.

Louis arched an eyebrow. He flicked his hand in the air around his face, commentating, “What? You have that whole pitying look going on right now.”

“I don’t,” he argued weakly. His expression softened immediately, his brown puppy eyes doe eyed. Louis rolled his eyes and breathed a long suffering sigh. Zayn sometimes liked to be mellow and dramatic, the king of waiting with open arms whenever Louis was heartbroken and needed a good cuddle. Though Louis wasn’t heartbroken. He was just…sad. And maybe lonely too.

“I know Harry’s staying at Pratt for the summer.”

Louis’ eyebrows pinched together. “And who told you that?”

“Niall, obviously,” Zayn affirmed with pursued lips.

“God, that little…” Louis rubbed the back of his neck, his face feeling hot. Over drinks and nursing a sweating beer, Louis confessed to Niall that Harry wasn’t coming back and that he was feeling desperately lonely. Niall had cooed and rubbed his back, inches away from looking like he wanted to rub his tummy. Louis was so, so drunk and he was an honest man when inebriated. He never meant to tell anyone about Harry failing, was just sorta hoping the lads would understand once they didn’t see him around in the summer days.

“I guess I can’t get mad at him. He’s too cute,” Louis sighed.

“Amen,” Zayn agreed thoughtfully. He rubbed his thumb at the base of his neck soothingly. “Still, though. Tonight why don’t you come with me and the boys to get a pint, eh? It will take your mind off of Harry and better still, get you loosen up Tommo. All the stress of school has been weighing you down.”

He rubbed his back where knots were formed underneath his skin to emphasis his point. Louis pawed him off with a poorly attempt at a smile.

“Fine,” he groaned. “Don’t make me beg.”

With that, Zayn dropped his hand and opened the door for him. They jogged down the steps together, Louis’ eyes drawn to the floor. A long shadow curved on the pavement. On top of that shadow was a head full of curly hair. His eyes snapped up. There, like a beautiful mirage, was Harry. Beautiful, beautiful Harry wearing that old headscarf wrapped around his hair to pull back his unruly curls. His cheeks were flushed, his green eyes alight. Louis’ mouth gaped open.

Zayn whistled lowly. He patted Louis’ back and jutted his chin upwards in lieu of a greeting to Harry. Harry waved at him, a small smile tugging the corners of his lips. Louis walked close until he was a few feet away from him. It seemed like time stopped. Like the world stopped. Everything was still and quiet, even the silent birds listening in.

“I’m coming back the wrong way. It’s not because of you. I don’t like graphic design that’s it.”

Louis pursed his lips to contain his fond smile. Inevitably, the left corner of his mouth quirked higher than the right. Harry perked up, his shining lips saying, “Stop smiling! I really didn’t like it. It’s just designing logos and stuff and I missed Scranton. But it is _not_ because I missed you.”

Louis stepped closer as the words fell from Harry’s lips. He didn’t even feel his legs moving. It was as if wherever he was, he was always gravitating towards Harry. Like their hearts were attached by a gravitational pull, as cliché as that sounded. Louis was nothing but clichés since he met Harry.

“I just really wanted to come home and I know you said to come home the right way but you can’t tell me what to do. Got it?”

Louis reached him finally. He grabbed ahold of his hands, his smiling face pinpointed to his. Harry suppressed back a smile. Louis’ thumb smoothed across the span of the underside of his wrist. The skin there was so soft, so fragile. He felt his pulse jump under his touch. Louis pressed a touch harder, Harry exhaling out a heavy breath. He was always so responsive to his touches.

“I missed you,” Louis said, his voice soft.

“I missed you too,” Harry replied, his voice softer.

Louis nudged his nose against his, their mouths falling open together instinctually, already soft and open. When Louis’ eyes closed, his eyelids stuck shut. He wanted desperately to open them. He wanted to watch Harry’s sleepy eyelids close, the way his bow shaped lips curved beautifully open for him, he wanted to admire his blushed dappled cheeks—he had a feeling this feeling was never going to happen again and that if he didn’t open his eyes and witness this, he might miss it.

He might miss Harry coming home to him. Again.

But he was so tired from school and students and work and cold tea and begrudging coworkers and the broken coffee machine and marking papers and lecturing for hours and having no one to eat lunch with and reading the same books again, again, again on the reading list and life in general. But his mouth was so soft.

So Louis’ eyes fluttered closed and let Harry’s hungry lips press to his. His mouth fell open at the fathom touch, Harry’s plump lips fitting perfectly with his thin ones. He sucked his top lip into his mouth, sighing at the familiar taste of him. It didn’t matter how much time had passed between them or how many miles separated them, Harry always tasted the same whether he had chocolate or salty nuts that day. He always tasted like home.

They began a new, hot dizzying kiss that made Louis stand on his tippy toes. He remembered Harry telling him he adored that because he had to reach to get what he wanted. At the time, Louis didn’t understand what he meant, just shook his head and fondly called him an idiot. But now, the answer was clear as day. What he wanted was to kiss Harry, hungrily and open and desperate for more. He always wanted more because he was a selfish bastard and helpless. But Harry simply gave and gave, loved giving and being praised, loved being a good boy in bed.

Louis tangled his fingers in his hair, sharply tugging his head back. With the impact of the force, Harry was left gasping. His swollen lips parted, Louis’ sharp eyes tracking the motion. Using his other hand, he thumbed spit off his bottom lip before sucking it into his mouth.

Harry visibly shuddered, his whole body shaking. Louis pressed a wet kiss beneath his jawline. He left lingering kisses all the way up to his ear, his voice low and drugged with lust as he murmured, “Take me home Harry.”

Harry nodded weakly. He grabbed Louis’ hand in a tight grip and pulled him to the car. Louis figured Harry could drive him to the school again tomorrow to retrieve his car. But for right now, he didn’t care. All he cared about was the lust in Harry’s dark eyes and his trembling hands. They settled in their seats, buckling in their seatbelts for safety and all that. Louis very much valued his and Harry’s life, thank you very much.

Harry plugged in his phone, the first chords of Arctic Monkeys _I Wanna Be Yours_ bellowing out. Louis smirked, looking over to see Harry fidget in his seat. Harry rubbed his hand across his nose and sniffed, his pink tongue darting out to lick his lower lip. He backed out of the driveway with wide eyes, his whole body trembling with newfound anticipation. Louis settled back in his seat and reached over to palm his inner thigh, dangerously close to his groin area.

“Harry…” Louis whispered, his voice low. Harry’s eyes flickered over to his, appearing like a wild, hormonal teenage boy. Louis loved that after years of being together, he still affected him like this. The sex was _still_ incredibly good.

His fingers bumped his hardening length. His eyes dragged down to see a big bulge tenting the tight jeans. He rubbed his hot palm over his crotch, Harry inhaling a sharp sudden breath.

“Your poor cock,” Louis teased. “Don’t kill us tonight, Haz. I wanna put my mouth on you.”

Harry ran over several red lights, speeding to get home.

When they finally, finally did get home, Louis wasted no time at all. In fact, since the moment they stepped foot in the house, Louis pushed Harry up against the door and closed it shut with their weight. He captured Harry’s groan in a kiss and swallowed down the rest of his moans. They kissed hungrily as they walked to the bedroom, Louis’ fingernails catching on his shirt. He slipped it off his broad shoulders, his palms hot on his skin. Harry never stopped kissing him, even when their lips were swollen and numb.

Louis pulled the shirt over his head, ruffling his hair in the process. Harry ran his hands through his hair while Louis’ quick fingers worked over the button of his skin tight jeans. “Dammit,” Louis protested, their lips mushed together. “Why do you always wear such tight jeans, Styles?”

“’Cause you like my legs in it,” Harry replied easily, his voice smug. He even looked smug, the beautiful bastard.

Louis growled low in his throat and thrust his pants down low along with his boxers. Harry’s heavy cock sprung out, unexpectantly hitting Louis in the face. It reminded him of a cliché porn scene. Louis rolled his eyes and kissed the tip of his cock in passing. Harry’s laughs diminished into a purr.

Louis hopped out of his own jeans, his legs getting tangled in the material. Harry helped him out of it with steadying hands on his waist. He successfully untangled his legs from his pesky trousers, Harry’s low laughter blowing hot air on the shell of his ear.

“Someone’s a little excited,” Harry murmured softly, his lips pressed to his ear.

Louis growled again. His head fell limp on the crook of Harry’s neck and shoulder. He bit the soft skin there, lathing his tongue to soothe the redness. “Oh I’m sorry, ‘m not the one who almost ran over a cat because I was too busy rubbing you.”

“Hey.” Harry pulled away, searching his eyes. He pulled on a frown, his expression solemn. “I hope the cat’s okay.”

“Christ.” Louis rolled his eyes, pulling him to bed. He couldn’t help the flush of fondness spread across his body, coloring him pink. Everything Harry did and said was utterly endearing.

Harry laid him down on the bed, gently and carefully. Everything about Harry was gentle. Especially when it came to Louis. He propped himself up with one hand settled beside Louis’ head, his body hovering above him, shallow breaths trickling on Louis’ cheek. His hand roamed down his side until it reached the swell of his arse.

He gripped him so that his body was twisted, Harry having a lovely view of Louis’ front and back. He didn’t warn Louis as he pulled away his hand, coming down to smack sharply on his arse. The sudden sound ripped through the air like a match set on fire. Louis groaned, a stinging sensation blooming outwards and coloring his cheek pink. His whole body felt alive. Harry’s heavy hand dropped again to smack again on the other cheek, a fast stinging pain. He slapped down hard once, twice, thrice, until he had Louis squirming below him.

“Fuck,” Louis breathed, voice strained.

His body was bridged between pain and pleasure, one fighting over the other to be dominant. Harry and Louis weren’t usually kinky, with what their sex lives revolving around each other and never having to spice it up. It was always good. But when they were feeling rather sexy and spontaneous, Harry would usually tie Louis up with handcuffs they kept hidden under the bed. Sometimes Harry would eat him out for hours without letting him touch himself, until he had him sobbing out his name. They loved to rile each other up, even compete and see who could make the other come repeatedly until they were too sensitive to keep going. As of now, their record was up to six times.

Harry’s large palm smoothed over his arse cheeks. He imagined his cheeks were colored bright red, judging by the way Harry’s lower lip tucked between his teeth. The green of his eyes were darkened with lust, his eyelids hooded. Louis regained his breath as Harry slid his boxers down lower, swiping them off his legs.

“Fuck, Lou. You look so gorgeous,” Harry said, voice low and raspy. He smoothed his hands over his hot skin again, the tips of his fingers dragging over the reddened, flushed skin. He squeezed the meaty flesh between the gaps of his fingers, Louis letting out a low moan.

Louis arched his back, exposing himself to Harry. He spread his legs open for him, ready. Harry trailed his fingers up to his ribs and to his underarms. He squeezed him once and leaned forwards, pressing chaste kisses to his nose, his cheeks, his jawline. Louis breathed out shallowly, his breaths evening out to the rhythm of Harry’s sweet kisses.

“All mine,” Louis heard Harry whisper in the quiet room.

He sucked his middle finger in from base to tip, his pink tongue swirling around. Louis tracked the motion with heavy eyes, his mouth parted open on a breath. He dragged his slicked-spit finger up the crease of his thigh until he reached his entrance. He swirled around the opening, teasingly slow, dangerously close.

Louis shuddered, covering his face in the crook of his elbow. It was too much. Harry pushed through the ring of muscle slowly, Louis’ whole body tensing up. His saliva was not as slick as lube so the push was dry and rough. It had Louis arching up even more.

Harry pressed two fingers on his hipbone. “I need you to relax, babe,” he whispered, face dark.

Louis peeked at him from under his arm. He said, “I can’t. it’s too much,” in a pained voice. Harry being gone for too long, coming back into his life unexpectantly…It was all too much. Louis wanted him so much he didn’t know where to begin.

Harry pulled his arm away from his face and pressed his mouth to his. He sucked a hot kiss to his red mouth, puffs of warm air ghosting over Louis’ lips. He bit his bottom lip and swiped his tongue over the pillowed flesh. Louis lolled his head on his neck as Harry’s finger pushed all the way in up to his knuckle.

Harry rolled him around so he could lay on his stomach. Without warning, he pushed in another finger. Louis groaned and shifted on the bed. His fingers were long, curling inside his hot body. Harry lowered his face and licked a tiny, tentative lick on his entrance. Louis shuddered, wet kitten licks spreading him open.

He pressed hot wet pressure, hums vibrating up his spine where Harry hummed. He moaned loudly at Louis’ taste, warm and hot, his tongue flicking out to lick at the puckered skin where his two fingers spread him open.

“Gonna eat you out now, okay love?” he affirmed Louis in a statement rather than a question. What Harry wanted, he got. Louis nodded as weakly as he could with two curling fingers inside of him. He dragged his fingers out with a hiss and went to plant them on his cheeks. He slapped them hard on his arse cheeks, the smacking sound loud. His butt jiggled when Harry squeezed once and let go.

Harry pulled apart his arse with two thumbs, pressing his face hard in between. Louis shivered, goosebumps prickling his sweaty skin. Harry lathed his tongue up and down a few strokes, dampening his skin. With his face pressed, his tongue darted out to lick at his puckered hole. He rubbed his face back and forth, ribbing the skin above his sensitive flesh with sharp teeth and quick bites.

Louis’ eyes widened. “Wha—What the fuck is that?” He arched his eyebrows, his mouth falling open. He didn’t know whether Harry was walking sex on legs or took a course in sex education, but he never failed to impress Louis in bed. Whether it was new foreplay or doing something obscene with his tongue, it always had Louis rutting in bed and moaning high.

“I thought you’d like it,” Harry hummed. He pressed his face harder and switched from biting at his hot skin to actually dipping his tongue in his hole. Louis didn’t comment, simply arched his back further and slid his hands under the cool pillow.

Harry’s determined tongue dived in and out rhythmically. He sucked his hole, slurping obscenely. Louis clenched his eyes shut, pushing his arse out. He was pliant and loose, his hand coming ‘round to tug on Harry’s slightly sweaty curls. He gripped his hair and pushed Harry’s face in. Harry moaned low, vibrations of his voice thrumming in his hole. Louis quivered in bed, his legs threatening to give out anytime soon. As if Harry had a sixth sense, he grabbed the front of Louis’ thighs and held him up, steadying him where Louis felt the world go dizzy.

“I’m gonna come,” Louis said weakly, his voice shrill.

Harry’s lips were still pressed against his rim as he reached a hand to grab the lube. He kissed his open hole and drizzled some lube on his fingers, rubbing his hands together to warm it up. He grabbed his left arse cheek with a wet palm and slid his face back in, his tongue snaking out to tease around his hole.

“Fuck me,” Louis groaned, sinking down into the mattress.

He didn’t mean to release that piece of information but as always whenever it came to Harry and sexual bedroom activities, he was weak and helpless, always silently begging for more.

Harry took that as a request and grinned to himself. He probably meant to come off as a sly bastard but his cheeks were dappled with sweat, his grin formed into a shy smile. Even though he loved to give in bed, he was always coy when it came to Louis praising him in compliments. Louis might even say that Harry came so hard once when he whispered in his ear, “That’s a good boy right there.”

Harry gave him a hard, wet slap once more. He wanted to delve back in and spread Louis’ tight pink hole open, but he reveled in the way Louis thrust his hips weakly into the mattress, desperately searching for some sort of friction. Louis squirmed relentlessly, his knees digging into the mattress. He pulled his sweaty face away from the pillow with tousled, disheveled hair. Harry wanted to run his fingers through the slick strands of brown, shiny hair.

“What are you doing?” Harry heard Louis whisper, his voice a bit whiny. Pleading. Louis always got so worked up in bed that his voice would become high pitched. “Do something,” he said, voice barely there, barely comprehensible. He glared at him, his voice lowering. “Please. Harry. Do _something_ ,” he repeated with a little whine.

And that simply wouldn’t do.

“You want me?” Harry questioned, because he already knew the answer, and because he was a little shit. He loved that Louis sometimes let him take control in bed. Whereas Louis was bossy and demanding in real life, in bed he was pliant and loose and obedient. All for Harry. He groaned internally, his eyes racing back and forth at the sight of his boy, begging and open, dribbles of spit sliding down his open hole.

“Think you can take a finger, babe?” he asked politely, his head quirked to the left.

As for added emphasis, he ran a single slicked lubed up finger down the crease of his arse, causing the barely hair there to rise on their own accord. He paused it on his puckered rim, his skin raw and red. The sight of it made Harry’s mouth water. There was nothing than eating out Louis that turned him on more.

Louis nodded limply, his messy fringe falling over his eyes. He pushed his arse up in the air, sweat trickling down the base of his neck down to the muscles of his back. Harry’s hand roamed on his toned back, watching the muscles jump under his touch.

“Okay,” Harry laughed, drizzling a little more lube over his fingers because it’s been a while. He loved to take things slow in bed and watch Louis fall apart from his hands or his mouth. He pushed in his index finger scathingly slow, Harry’s mouth falling open as the skin wrapped so perfectly around his knuckle. When Louis’ hips wiggled for another, he pushed a second finger in, leaning forward to press his lips to the end of his spine, just above the swell of his arse. He pushed his fingers in all the way, watching how Louis writhed in the bed below him. So pliant.

Harry pumped his fingers in, curling them in sometimes. He pressed his lips next to his ear, whispering, “Want a third?”

Louis nodded again, whining high in his throat when Harry’s third finger pressed in along with the other two. The skin of his rim loosened to accommodate the third. He brushed the tip in and out so Louis’ body could get used to the stretch. When he deemed he was ready, he pushed all the way in, fitting snugly with the other two.

“You take me so well, baby,” he whispered. He started to scissor his fingers inside, squelching out spit and creating these wet mushing noises. It made Harry’s cock harden impossibly more. He pressed his mouth on his pink skin again and sucked his tongue in, reveling in one final taste. The musky taste of Louis and flavored lube combined, dancing on his tongue. Harry hummed happily, Louis’ hole clenching around his three fingers.

Harry pulled his fingers off after he jabbed close to his prostate, Louis whining at the loss. Harry stared in awe as the puckered skin loosened and clenched time and time again, like a fish blowing bubbles. It was fucking mesmerizing.

Louis whined as Harry climbed off the bed, hands rummaging around in the bedside drawer. He watched as he grabbed a packet of tin foil and clambered back on the bed. Harry tapped two fingers on his warm hipbone, signaling him to turn around. Louis rolled around on his back, his legs spread open.

Harry crawled on top of him, bracketing him in. He ripped the packet open and drew out a condom. When he went to roll it on his cock, Louis’ hand shot out to stop him. Harry frowned, watching Louis’ eyes intently. Making love without a condom was something they never did. They were both clean and have been together for years, but having sex without a condom was a superior level of trust. One that they both hadn’t reached. Or had they?

“Lou?” Harry asked, green eyes inquiring.

“Don’t,” Louis responded, sure. His pale blue eyes were wide in the dim light. “I want without. A condom, I mean. I want you to come inside me.”

Harry almost came at the words. But he held back, squeezing the base of his cock almost painfully tight. He didn’t want to relieve the time he was sixteen years old and hopelessly in love and let Louis suck him off, not even coming ten seconds after Louis put his hot mouth on him. At the time, it was embarrassing, having come on his shocked face after Louis dragged his tongue on the sensitive underside of his cock. But Louis was so pretty. And Harry was so in love.

Louis found it endearing instead. He wiped his face off come, his eyelashes sticky with white. He kissed Harry’s flushed cheek and whispered in his ear, _“You have no idea what you just did to my ego.”_ He kissed him softly then like he was made out of delicate thin glass and held his softening cock in his warm palm.

Harry snapped back to reality. Louis was searching for his eyes for an answer. Harry thumbed his cheek and exhaled a shaky sigh.

“Louis,” he whispered. “Are you sure? We’ve never without.”

“I’m sure,” Louis said with smiling, red lips.

At his response, Harry smashed his lips to his. Suddenly, his lips were softer than he remembered, his mouth sweet as honey. Harry’s bee stung lips pulled on his thinner ones, his taste warm and soft. His pulse was beating fast in his chest, in his neck, in his wrist. His heart throbbed, threatening to spill blood out of his ribcage.

Kissing Louis was like reading the same book over and over again. It wasn’t boring, far from that, it was like reading a favorite book and never wanting to finish it. And once you were done, you wanted to go back and read the same sentences that have strung a chord. Kissing Louis was like that. Like reading a favorite book.

Harry pulled away with slicked lips, mouth obscene and red. Louis sighed, his eyes softening. Harry cradled his cheek in his hand and kissed the tip of his nose. This boy meant everything to him.

Louis fluttered his eyes shut tight, butterfly wings flapping wildly in his belly, watching Harry palm his inner thighs. He dragged his face down his torso until he reached his navel, his stomach ballooning in self-consciously. Louis was so, so beautiful but sometimes in the harsh light he would pick at his tummy and grumble that he was too pudgy, too fat. Harry would trace his lips on every inch of skin to remind him that he was beautiful—that he was loved.

“Stop that,” Harry said, pressing a dry kiss to his fuzzy inner thigh. “You’re goddamn beautiful.”

Louis nodded, his eyes clenched tight. Harry tugged on his cock a few times, blurts of precome bubbling out of the slit. He aligned himself to Louis’ tight, pink hole. He grabbed Louis’ knees and pushed them so that they were resting against his chest, bending his body in half. Though Louis never took a class of yoga in his life, he was wickedly flexible in bed. Harry thanked the gods for his ability to be wrecked in half.

He gasped out an, “Okay,” groaning softly as he pressed the tip in. “Shit,” Harry breathed out, Louis’ skin clenching around his hard cock. “Fuck me,” Louis sputtered, fingers digging in his shoulders. He fluttered his eyes awake, his gaze unyielding and sharp. “Fucking move, please. S’tight.”

Harry groaned again, squeezing his eyes shut. He pushed in slowly, imaging the way Louis’ puckered rim loosened to grip his hard, painful length. He fondled Louis’ balls to relax him, judging how Louis’ upper body tensed up in a taut line. Lube trickled hotly down the back of Louis’ thighs, pooling in the damp sheets.

“Oh god,” Harry moaned, mouth falling open on a shudder.

The side of Louis’ face was smushed in the pillow, whining pathetically as he pushed his arse back out at Harry, silently begging for more. Harry pushed all the way in until he bottomed, listening to the sounds of Louis’ voice as he grunted for more, more, harder, deeper, more. Words spilled brokenly from his lips. Waves crashed in his ears as Louis’ raw flesh tightened around him.

He cursed and dropped his head. His sticky lips pressed softly to the corner of Louis’ mouth. It had been such a long time since the last time they did this. They only ever managed to foreplay and have oral sex before they were distracted and Harry had to leave early the next morning. But tonight, Louis was all his and they had all the time in the world to make this right. No more rushed blowjobs, tonight Harry was going to make Louis feel good.

When he pushed in and out for a few pressing beats, there was a brief moment where he blanked out and forgot about everything. He completely forgot about failing classes at Pratt and calling himself a failure, forgot about texting the lads that they won’t make it out for drinks, forgot about the small potted plants he needed to water because he sure as hell knew Louis didn’t remember, forgot about fucking Sebastian and how he almost ripped him away from his boy but that would never happen, because Harry was passionate about Louis. Harry was in love with Louis.

He started to properly thrust in him that he moved Louis up, up, up into the mattress, his head almost hitting the headboard. The sounds of skin slapping to skin echoed loudly in the room. Harry’s balls slapped against Louis’ arse every time he pushed in deep.

“Yeah? It’s fucking tight,” he grumbled, his voice octaves deep and gravelly.

Their sweat torsos were wrapped in each other, Louis' cock rubbing wetly between their bodies every time Harry pushed in faster. Louis’ lips were spit slick, his mouth falling open, spit dribbling down his chin to pool in his collarbones. “Fucking look at you, you’re so fucking gorgeous,” Harry babbled as he leaned forward and slurped the saliva from his sweaty skin.

When Harry’s face was close enough, Louis saw this opportunity to bite at his earlobe, catching the cushioned skin between sharp teeth. He sucked on his earlobe with every thrust and pull, thrust and pull, thrust and pull. Louis rolled his eyes to the back of his head on a particular thrust, slamming his body upwards into oblivion.

Louis arched his neck, exposing the long column of his throat. Harry wanted to bite and lick and taste. So he did. He pressed his lips there, feeling the pulse of his jittery heartbeat jump every time he pushed deep inside him. He kissed his way down his throat, leaving a trail of purpled marks in its wake. He sucked softly until he was satisfied with his work, his cock working inside him all the while.

“You feel so fucking good,” Louis cursed, eyes fluttering shut again.

Harry started to move in and out in an even rhythm, causing the two of them to pant in sync. “Do I?” Harry questioned. He loved getting praised in bed, especially when it rendered Louis speechless and he had to gasp to push the words out.

“Ah, fuck!” he moaned on a sharp thrust. “Fuck, yes you do. Fuck me, Har-rr-y! Fuck! Ah!”

He swiveled his hips, trying to meet Harry’s thrusts. They were both uncoordinated and sloppy, but after a few attempts, Louis hit it just right, both in synchronized thrusts. “Fucking gorgeous,” Harry commented, because he couldn’t quite help himself and Louis preened under the attention.

He pulled his legs over his shoulders and started to push into him deep and fast, causing Louis’ mouth to fall open on, “Ah, ah, ah!” He grabbed his hips and pressed his thumbs to his sharp hipbones, using his body to pull him in. He leaned forwards and pressed his mouth to Louis’, catching his plush bottom lip between his teeth. He swallowed down Louis’ high pitched moans, his lips bitten and red.

“God, Lou, you’re so loud,” Harry moaned, his hips stuttering a little as he continued to ram his weight in Louis.

He pressed a chaste kiss to the corner of his mouth, so wet and dirty, his hips snapping to thrust in deeper, chasing after that relieved orgasm. He trapped Louis’ slick cock in between their bodies, the angry red head of his cock slipping and sliding on Harry’s abs, precome darting out to stain his sweaty skin.

“I’m so close,” Harry groaned, leaning over Louis to capture his lips in a bruised kiss, his mouth unrelenting. He focused on the sharp blue of Louis’ eyes, drowning in them. It was the color of a blue-green sea, waves crashing on the shore. His skin tasted like salt, the sun beating down on their naked bodies. Harry always got so metaphorical right before he came, always babbling nonsense about the color of Louis’ eyes or the taste of his mouth.

“Me too,” Louis chimed, dragging his blunt fingernails down Harry’s back. Harry leaned his forehead on the juncture between Louis’ neck and shoulder, keeping him impossibly close. His voice broke out in a puttered little whine as his cock pulsated deep inside Louis, his heart hammering in his chest. His cock filled up and burst with come, spilling milky white. Louis pushed him off, Harry’s eyebrows knitting together even in his orgasmic haze, only to pull apart his arse cheeks, his hole swollen and open and colored a pretty pink.

“Harry, hurry up,” Louis breathed out. He flicked his eyes downwards to show Harry what he wanted him to do.

And if Harry hadn’t just come mere seconds ago, that definitely would’ve done it for him. He groaned low in his throat, aligning his cock to his loosened hole. As the last of his orgasm wracked his entire body, he tugged a few sharp tugs, beads of come splattering out to paint the back of Louis’ thick thighs and puckered rim.

Harry plastered himself to his front and properly started to jerk him off. He fluttered his eyes closed, Louis’ whiny moans filling his ears, his hand sticky and wet with precome. He rubbed his head and dragged the blunt of his fingernail down the underside of his heavy cock. That did it for him. Louis moaned high in his throat, his body jumping and tensing before loosening in one quick breath, coming buckets of white on his and Harry’s chest.

They stayed like that for a while, simply wrapped in each other. Harry gently pulled out, Louis hissing in discomfort at the loss. He grabbed the base of his cock and rubbed it up and down Louis’ red arse cheeks, the remnants of come spilling out onto his skin. He giggled like a child, biting down on his lips to tamp down his smile. After a few silent seconds, Louis slapped his arm.

“Get off me you oaf,” Louis grumbled, his voice rugged and weighed down with sleep.

One of the most satisfying things Harry learned from Louis when they first started dating was realizing he loved to cuddle after any form of sex. It could be a messy blowjob and Louis would curl around Harry’s back, petting his hair and kissing his sweat dappled cheeks. Harry loved that about him.

“I love you too,” Harry easily replied, his voice warm. He crawled off his sticky body and padded to the bathroom. The sound of rushing water was heard, most likely it being Harry dampening a flannel. He came back and wiped the wet flannel over Louis’ chest and thighs. He swiped dry come off his own toned chest and threw it over his shoulder carelessly.

He crawled back in bed with Louis, dragging the duvet over their hot shoulders. Harry cupped Louis’ cheeks and pressed a new kiss to his bitten lips. The pads of his fingers were gentle as they guided his jaw lower, sucking on his lower lip. They angled their heads in opposite directions, their noses nudging together, their breaths intermingling.

Harry swallowed Louis’ moan. He mumbled again his parted mouth, “I love you,” and kissed a trail to his red prickled cheeks. He pressed his mouth to his lips again, pressing firmer so that teeth clashed against teeth. “So, so much,” he said, a bit breathlessly, cupping his face again, his smile lopsided.

Louis opened his mouth wider, relaxing his jaw, allowing Harry’s quick tongue to delve inside. He tasted warm and deep. He smiled in the kiss, Harry’s tongue licking inside eagerly. Harry’s wet lips popped off, sucking on his top lip. He thumbed his spit slicked lower lip, the ends curling into a smirk. His eyes flitted to Louis’ sharp blue eyes, the smile reaching the blue sea in his eyes. Harry was drowning. He would die a happy man if he got to die in his boy’s arms.

“I love you more,” he replied, breath fanning over his cheek.

As always, Harry shook his head fervently. “Impossible.”

Sometimes Harry was the one who said he loved him more and Louis would reply back quicker, “Impossible.”

Louis wrapped his legs around his waist, pulling him in, anchoring him close. He tugged on a loose curl of hair on his forehead. He twirled the strand of hair around his pointer finger, tugging gently. Harry closed his eyes and leaned in, his forehead bumping on Louis’ chin. Louis kissed him sweet, his lips mumbling on his sweaty skin.

“I never wanna let go of you again.”

Harry kissed the tip of his nose, warm palms sliding up his body to cup his cheeks. His eyes were so scintillating green in the dim light. His face was warm and open, genuine and sincere, his eyes fond as they traced Louis’ face. He looked equivalent to a heart eyes Emoji.

“Then don’t,” Harry said, setting Louis afire in a new, heavy kiss that made his toes curl unwillingly.

And yeah, he was never letting go.


	13. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a bit of an Epilogue...that's really a Prologue.

Louis’ eyes darted between the white lilies and orange marigolds.

“Say Zayn,” Louis’ breathy raspy voice filtered through the sunshine filled air. “Which one says, I’ve fancied you for over two months now and I wanna kiss you silly?”

Zayn’s scuffled shoes stopped mid-step.

Louis tiptoed and eyed Zayn over the endless rows of perfume smelling flowers. He could only make out his gelled, raven black hair. Zayn’s slow blinking syrup eyes appeared. He rolled his eyes faux fondly and went back to grazing flower petals with a touch of his fingertip. Louis shrugged and placed the bouquet of marigolds back with the rest of its family. He followed Zayn’s heavy walk and thumbed the base of his neck.

“Which roses say, I wanna fuck your brains out tonight?”

Louis cackled. He squeezed the nape of Zayn’s neck. Zayn looked at him with shimmering eyes. Louis was glad they were back to normal again. In the two months Louis had ogled a curly haired Cheshire lad in the library behind a wall of books, he had healed completely from his and Zayn’s devastating heartbreak. To think he almost fell in love with Zayn’s sultry eyes and puckered chapped lips. Plus, Zayn had a conquest of his own. A sweet faced, kind brown eyed puppy look-alike by the name of Liam Payne.

Louis walked up to the counter with the white lilies in hand. His eyes slid up a skinny body and pale skin to a set of thoughtful blue eyes, blonde streaked hair and rosy cheeks. According to the name tag pinned to his flowery blouse, his name was Niall.

“Is that gonna be all?” Niall’s cheery voice asked.

“Yes _Niall_.” Louis grinned. “That will be all.”

Zayn whistled lowly between his teeth. “Nice place you got here,” he hummed while eyeing the rest of the interior of the local flower shop.

The inside was painted a pale yellow, resembled like the color of sunshine with colorful butterflies splattered here and there. The floor was made up of polished hardboard and flower pots hung from the ceilings as well as rested atop shiny wooden bookshelves. The place was quite pretty, with large windows allowing sunshine to filter through.

Niall’s eyes snapped up to Zayn’s question easily as he scanned the bouquet of Louis’ lilies.

“Thanks mate, but it isn’t mine. It’s mum’s. Just taking care after it while she and pops are off to a wedding.”

“May I ask why you’re not attending?” Zayn asked curiously, his brows pinching together. “Weddings can be fun.”

“Are you kidding me?” Niall’s eyes positively glowed. His whole face lit up with unsung words. “Free booze, loose girls, and karaoke machines? It’s the dream. But sadly, I’ve been on bad behavior as of late. Mum says I have to stop sleeping with all the bridesmaids if I wanna attend another family wedding ever again.”

Louis smiled crookedly. After he handed Niall a few notes, he grabbed the proffered bagged lilies and cocked his head to the left. Niall knocked his knuckles on the smooth surface. Zayn exchanged a glance with Louis and snickered quietly.

“You seem like a right lad. Give me your number. We should hang out sometime.”

“Killer.”

They exchanged numbers and said their goodbye’s. Louis and Zayn stepped out into the sunlight. Zayn shoved his hands into his pockets while Louis thumbed through his missed text messages. Zayn snapped his fingers and rummaged deep into his pockets, digging out what Louis assumed was his pack of cigarettes. He presented a small tin foil packet.

A condom.

Louis’ narrowed eyes slid to Zayn’s neutral face. Zayn pressed the cold packet into Louis’ palm and closed it shut around the present, leaning close to whisper in his ear.

“Be safe. Don’t want any little Tommo beasts running around unexpectedly. Don’t think the world’s ready for that.”

Louis tried to say something snappy in reply to the twinkly-eyed devilish creature with raven black hair standing in front of him, but instead he exhaled, “What a shame. I had no idea the school system failed you this badly. Men can’t get pregnant.”

Zayn winked at him and walked away, hands shoved deep in his pockets with a cigarette dangling from behind his ear. Louis couldn’t help but think he resembled a lot like Alex Turner with all the leather jackets and greased up hair. It was uncanny.

It made sense for Louis to fall in love with him. Zayn was just his type.

But Harry. Harry was so different from the usual type Louis went for in dark dingy clubs. For one, Harry was sweet. Louis usually went after the heartbreakers and broke their hearts, Zayn the only exception, but Harry was kind and thoughtful and wore his heart on his sleeve. His golden heart filled rooms and rooms and rooms and his words spun love from out of thin air. Louis wanted to take him home to mother.

He also had a nice little body. All four nipples (Louis snuck a glance when he walked into Harry changing in the boys’ locker room) with soft, white skin. He barely had any hair, just a little trickle down his happy trail, signaling an arrow to Louis’ happy place. His thighs were godsend and Louis wanted to do nothing but rub his three-day old scruff on his pretty skin to leave lovely burns in its wake.

Louis closed his drooling mouth. He wiped his wet lips with the back of his hand and shook his head at himself, walking into the opposite direction and clutching the white lilies in hand.

He may or may not have skipped home. Zayn would kill him with utter humiliation if he found out.

. . .

Louis teetered himself on the balls of his feet. He pushed himself up and knocked three times on the wooden door. He waited anxiously and bit on his thumb hangnail, simply waiting. He paced around the front porch and scrunched his fingers in his hair.

Maybe Harry didn’t get the note Louis slipped in his open backpack. Maybe it slipped out when Harry took out his uni textbooks, lost amidst other clutter. Maybe Harry _did_ see it and rejected him openly without a second worry. Maybe Harry wasn’t interested and let Louis down gently—

The door opened quickly, effectively shutting Louis out of his thoughts.

He stared dumbly at Harry’s wide green eyes, mouth transfixed into a harried smile. Harry’s soft tendrils of curls licked his blushed cheeks. Louis dared to do a once over and reprimanded himself when he did. Harry was beautiful. He was dressed casual but comfortable in a light wash button up and knee slit jeans that practically look painted on. Fuck. He wore a brown intertwined belt and black boots to tie in the whole look. Louis felt ridiculous in his graphic t shirt and denim jacket.

“Hi,” Harry breathed.

“Hi,” Louis repeated back dumbly.

Harry continued to stare at him with a manic grin on his face, his dimples poking out obscenely. Louis wanted to drink tequila off the crevice of his dimple. He blinked rapidly and presented the white lilies.

“Oh, um. I bought these for you.”

Straight, perfect white teeth and tiny almost invisible wrinkles appeared beside chartreuse colored eyes.

“Wow, thank you. I wasn’t expecting…” he trailed off, seemingly amazed at the white lilies in his hand. He thumbed the closest petal, eyes drifting shut, his smile growing blissfully larger. “They’re wonderful. Thank you.”

“It’s no problem. Shall we?”

Louis offered his arm. Harry smiled crookedly and nodded, looping his arm around Louis’.

“We shall.”

They walked together into the awakening night.

. . .

They were both drunk and sleep heavy laying on the floor of Louis’ stepfather’s caravan. Louis had thought it was the perfect place for a first date, considering the caravan had an opening at the top that allowed for the moonlight and stars to appear through. Judging by Harry’s constant sparkling eyes and glimmering smile, he thought so too.

Harry’s rosy lips popped off the mouth of the wine bottle.

They were both intoxicated that everything felt hazy and slow like a dream. Drunk enough to slur their words a bit but not drunk enough to produce headaches in the morning. It was rather a warm feeling that pooled inside Louis’ veins and made everything feel soft and dreamy.

“So what made you decide to go to NYU?” Louis asked drunkenly.

He tipped the wine bottle back and downed the last remnants in one go. He looked over at Harry with sleepy eyes. Harry looked bittersweet. His cheeks were rosy and flushed and his eyes were glassy. His mouth was red and parted open in labored breaths. Honestly, Louis’ mind wandered to his filthy imagination.

So this is what Harry would look like after sex…

“I didn’t really wanna go to NYU. After we moved to the States, I pretty much had no other option. Actually, I’ve always wanted to go to Pratt to study photography or art. I dunno. It just never worked out for me I guess…” Harry finished mumbling.

“It will one day,” Louis hiccupped, making grabby hands and finally resting his clammy one on top of Harry’s. He was always brave whenever he was drunk, never in control of his mind or actions. He muttered hoarsely, “I promise Hazza.”

“Yeah?” Harry said quietly, the corners of his lips quirking up just a tiny bit.

“Yeah,” Louis answered, swallowing.

He turned his head to look at Harry and smiled, revealing shiny white teeth glowing in the moonlight. Even under the dim light, Harry’s face burned with heat, but he smiled through it, his fingertips moving on their own accord to Louis’ arm. He touched his arm, Louis feeling goosebumps prickling his flesh, watching Harry all the while. Cotton candy swirled in Louis’ brain.

They stared at each other for a long beat, their chests rising up and down rhythmically, so close that their arms were touching. Harry smiled so wide that a bubbly laugh escaped, Louis breathing out a soft chuckle in return. Harry pressed his hand to his forehead and smoothed his palm over the fluffy bumps of waves with a bashful smile.

“Louis,” Harry said just as Louis babbled, “Harry.”

They both laughed again, just quick breathy giggles. Harry blew his bangs off his face. Louis bit his bottom lip between his teeth, eyes roaming down Harry’s long torso. His eyes landed on the small sliver of skin exposed by his shirt being pushed up. His skin was glowing white from the moonlight. Louis’ eyes darted back up to his face just as quickly.

Harry caught him looking anyways, his green eyes twinkling.

Louis’ brows shot up as Harry came closer, lifting himself on his elbows. He brushed Louis’ long fringe from his eye and cupped his cheek. Without warning, Harry lowered down and brushed his lips against Louis’.

The world stopped. Louis was sure of it. All he could hear was the pounding of his heart in his ears and the words caught in his throat. He could feel the world dance on his fingertips. He tried to ignore the warmth of Harry’s side seeping into his clothes but it was all too much and not enough all at once.

Louis grabbed the back of Harry’s neck and pulled him down, scrunching his fingers in the artful swoop of his shiny brown locks. Harry chuckled against his mouth. They kissed with moving lips, a few innocent quick pecks of their mouths before Louis opened his mouth the slightest bit and allowed for Harry’s tongue to explore inside. Louis was caught in the way Harry kissed. For a pubescent, awkward, long-limbed giraffe, Harry kissed gracefully. He sucked on his bottom lip with the right amount of pressure and slid his mouth against his expertly.

Louis hummed and stroked his fingers through Harry’s waves. He felt Harry’s smile press against his moving lips. They continued to kiss lazily, not rushing to do anything else. Harry’s body was aligned perfectly with Louis’ that they were connected from ribcage to knees. Louis could feel him hardening on his thigh and the sharp scent of sweat building arousal in his lower belly but he didn’t push for more. He was happy with whatever Harry was willing to give him. Hell, he would love just cuddling and snogging all night.

“Take this off,” Harry mumbled against his mouth, tugging on the hem of his shirt.

Louis complied easily and sat up. He pulled the shirt over his head, ruffling his hair into a soft wild halo framing his face. Harry’s breath hit his cheek with his breathy laugher. He covered his smiling mouth with his fingers, his eyes crinkled in the corners. Louis pursed his lips, laughing through his nose.

“What?”

“You look like an adorable fluffy duck.”

“Shut up and kiss me you dork.”

Harry nodded enthusiastically and sucked his bottom lip into his mouth. He pushed Louis down with his hands pressed to his chest. Louis’ naked chest was littered in the barest of red-brown hair. It continued lower to a soft pudgy but overall flat stomach. Harry bit the corner of his lips at the sight, his teeth snagging on the skin inside.

Harry took the time to navigate his fingers on Louis’ warm clean skin. Every press of his fingertips made Louis exhale wetly against his skin. Harry was being coy. Harry hummed softly, letting the pads of his fingertips and warm palms do all the talking for him. He fingered the edge of Louis’ boxers and pants. Louis breathed out of his nose and looked up at the starry night sky.

When he felt Harry’s hand hover over his middle, his stomach ballooned in a sharp intake of breath. He waited for cool air to hit his warm skin but nothing came. He blinked several times and looked down at Harry who had scrunched eyebrows and pouty lips. He was just about to ask what was wrong when he saw the item in Harry’s hand.

Oh.

“Oh!” Louis exhaled hotly. Harry looked up at him with a hurt expression. Guilt flooded into his system. “Um, I—It’s not what it looks like Harry.”

“Really?” Harry asked harshly, his nostrils flaming. “Because what it looks like is that you think I’m quick and easy and this was just a hookup date all along.”

“No, no, no,” Louis rushed out, stammering. He sat up and grabbed Harry’s hands in his, tightening his grip on them. He grabbed the tin foil packet and flung it over his shoulder. “Zayn…He, uh, he just wanted me to be safe if anything happened tonight…Which, I have no expectations. I feel lucky enough that I got to kiss you. Really.”

“Zayn,” Harry murmured. “Who’s Zayn?”

“Just my ex.”

“Your ex?” Harry’s brows shot up, his mouth agape.

“Shit, I knew you would worry.” Louis pulled his knees to himself and rubbed his fists into his eyes. When he opened them, the tender skin beside his cool blue eyes were irritated red. “He’s my ex but he’s also my friend. We’re better off as that anyways.”

“Do you still love him?”

“What?” Louis spluttered. “Harry, no. Believe me, I am completely over that guy. We’re just good mates.”

Harry nodded slowly.

He smiled at Louis with the initial enthusiasm and grabbed his hands, intertwining their fingers together. Sweet relief flooded Louis’ worried eyes. He breathed and laughed, Harry coming closer and perching himself on Louis’ lap.

“Sorry for frieking out,” Harry said quietly, his face burning up with embarrassment.

“Don’t be,” Louis murmured. “You didn’t know. It’s okay now,” he said, a touch faster. “You’re all I want.”

“Yeah?” Harry’s smile grew, his green eyes sparkling with the same confidence.

“Yeah,” Louis answered, his voice cheerful.

Harry pursed his lips and nodded, his eyes narrowing in thought. Louis grinned at him and pecked his nose. Harry laughed breathily and leaned in again, pressing himself on Louis’ bare, warm chest. They both grinned before closing their eyes shut and leaning in. Harry gently sucked on Louis’ bottom lip. Louis moaned quietly, stroking fingertips scratching around his shoulders. Harry’s breath stuttered against his mouth, tightening his thighs around Louis’ small waist. Louis almost blanked out with his thighs tightening in other unimaginable ways.

Louis flattened his palm on his back and pushed his shirt up higher, soothing slow wide circles on the soft skin there. Harry exhaled smoothly, arching his back a little. Louis dragged the pads of his fingers up and down Harry’s slightly sweaty skin. He felt little bumps on his skin but he just pressed harder, smiling to himself at the thought of Harry with red tiny marks that made him that much more beautiful.

“Louis?” Harry asked after pulling away, sleepy eyelids fluttering open and closed.

“Yeah?” Louis answered, chasing him with his mouth.

“I’d like to keep you for the rest of my life.”

It might be too soon, but Louis felt the same way, if not more. Louis pressed his mouth to Harry’s, breathing him in. His voice was tight when it came out to say, “Yeah baby boy, me too.” Harry’s answering smile was everything. They kissed again but were too ridiculously happy to suck on each other’s lips, instead smiling into their innocent kiss.

Louis made a promise that night that he was going to keep Harry for the rest of his life.

(He did.)


End file.
